The Mistake
by Happyfish1
Summary: An adventure, comedy, and romance about the Cartwrights. It features all of them, but focuses mainly on Adam and Joe.


The Mistake  
  
By: Happyfish and Puddleglum  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Note: Puddleglum and I wrote this story back and forth (without knowing in advance what the other was writing) with the help of Adam's Girl Rachel and the support of all our PAX friends! It was originally supposed to be a Round Robin story, but eventually PG and I were the only ones to keep up on it! I hope you all enjoy reading it; I know we had fun writing! Summary: An adventure, comedy, and romance about the Cartwrights. It features all of them, but focuses mainly on Adam and Joe. Disclaimer: We do not own any of the Cartwrights, Hop Sing, Roy Coffee, or Doctor Martin. The rest, however, were spawned from our crazy imagination!!  
  
PART 1  
  
"Aww, man," Hoss grated as he glanced at his empty dessert plate on the table. He had only gotten up for a moment to put another piece of wood in the fireplace, and on his return his slice of apple pie was missing! He searched the faces of his family, each stifling a snicker, to discover the culprit. Ben's eyes danced with joy at his son, Joe's face was turning red to keep from guffawing, and Adam held a somber but laughing gaze.  
  
Hoss demanded, "Alright, who took my pie?"  
  
Joe couldn't hold on to his laughter any longer. As he doubled over and rolled onto the floor, he gasped, "You asked for it, big brother; never leave a helpless piece of pie in front of three hungry men!"  
  
"Alright, that's enough," said Ben with a laugh as he took the other plate with the pie on it out of Adam's lap and handed it to Hoss. "You know Hoss needs his strength for the day ahead."  
  
"Thanks, Pa" said Hoss as he eagerly gulped down the pie. "Now maybe I can handle what you have planned for me today."  
  
Adam looked up in silent question. "What do you have planned for Hoss today, Pa," he asked.  
  
Surprised his eldest son didn't know, Ben smiled and explained. Well, tried to explain, that is.  
  
Before he could get a word out of his mouth, Hoss said, "Yeah, pa, I'd like to know that, too," and he offered Joe his arm to pull up off the floor. "You've been saying for days how big a job it is, but I ain't heard nuthin' about what I'm actually supposed to do."  
  
"Oh, let me tell him, Pa; I've had to keep quiet about it for too long now already," said Joe, with a big grin spreading across his face.  
  
"That's why I'm surprised that Adam didn't know," answered Ben, "I was sure you would have said something to him by now!"  
  
"No, he hasn't," said Adam. "So what is all the secrecy about?"  
  
"Well, it has to do with Sara Bell Crawford. But I'll let Joe explain the rest," answered Ben.  
  
Joe gave a mischievous, cocked grin before using his brother's arm to hoist himself off the floor. "I'm sure you know Miss Sara Bell," Joe began.  
  
Hoss nodded, his face contorting at the thought of the awkward young lady.  
  
Seeing his brother's acknowledgement, Joe continued, fighting not to laugh. "She's been havin' some trouble out at her place while her brother is gone, and Pa an' I elected you to help her out!"  
  
"No, pa, anything but that," yowled Hoss, as he saw them all start to laugh. "Why, she's been after me since she was just knee high to a grasshopper. She thinks she LOVES me!"  
  
"Well, perhaps she does," Adam said with a grin. "And this could be your chance to find out how you really feel about her."  
  
"I already know that," groaned Hoss, "Why don't one of you go and see how YOU feel about her."  
  
"Sorry, Hoss," answered Pa, "but there are some mighty big chores that need doing and I can only afford to send one of you over. It's supposed to be just for the day, but I told her she could keep you longer if she needs to."  
  
"Keep him longer!" chortled Little Joe in a whisper as he elbowed Adam on the arm. "Why, we may not see him again for a month of Sundays!"  
  
"Little Joe, dadburn it, one more word out of you and I..." Hoss started saying as he grabbed for his younger brother, but Joe ducked under his arm just in time and headed for the door. "Better get going, Hoss, she's waitin' for you. Oh, and it's been nice knowing you!" Joe called out as he closed the door.  
  
"We'd better be on our way too, son," Ben said to Adam as he also headed for the door.  
  
"Just be your usual charming, handsome self," said Adam to Hoss as he followed Ben to the door, "and I'm sure you'll do just fine!"  
  
And suddenly Hoss found himself alone in the house.  
  
"Dadburnit," Hoss repeated as he stared at the door from which his brothers and father had just exited. He sighed before reluctantly leaving to go to Sara Bell's house. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once again Hoss was staring at a door, only this one belonged to the dreaded woman herself. She had heard his advancing footsteps, and flung open the door to greet him. Hoss nearly choked at the sight of her.  
  
Sara Bell was as skinny as Hoss was fat. Tall, with long, gangly arms and legs, she could hardly walk across the yard without tripping over her own two feet. Her hair was the color of hay, with about the same texture, and Hoss had never seen it fixed any other way than in two long, skinny braids. She was wearing a shirt that probably belonged to her brother over pants that were obviously his, too.  
  
But it wasn't that Miss Sara Bell was an awful person, thought Hoss, or even ugly, if she had taken a mind to fixin' herself up, the problem was that she acted like a lovesick puppy dog any time she was around him. And now, here he was alone with her for at least one whole day! "Oh, Mister Cartwright," Sara Bell giggled flirtatiously. "So nice of you to volunteer to come out and help me for today."  
  
She half skipped/half walked to where Hoss stood and tried to daintily grab Hoss' hand and pull him towards the house. Unfortunately, she was graced with balance even less than she was beauty. She tripped on a loose porch step and into Hoss' sturdy grasp. Sara Bell turned her face up toward Hoss' and blushed.  
  
"Silly me," she mumbled. "I guess you might wonna fix that step for me, while you're here." She made no attempt to move from Hoss' grasp, but he quickly lifted her back to her feet. Realizing her lack of manners, she blushed again, a darker shade of crimson.  
  
"Please come in," she gestured into the small house.  
  
"Oh, no ma'am, thank you but I had better get right to work," Hoss said quickly before she had a chance to grab his hand and pull him inside. "Pa said there was a lot to be done, and I need to be back home in time for supper."  
  
"Oh, but Mister Cartwright, where would my manners be if I didn't serve you a piece of the cake I just baked, hot from the oven?" Sara Bell answered sweetly. "Besides, your pa said you could stay longer if I needed you."  
  
Hoss gulped, removed his hat and stepped inside the door, not missing how quickly Sara Bell closed (and locked) it. Hopefully, locking it was just out of habit, he thought to himself.  
  
Sara Bell led him down the hallway to the kitchen, and Hoss did have to admit that the smell of fresh cake was tempting. If he could just eat it quickly and get outside again!  
  
It had been three hours, and Hoss was still inside at the mercy of Sara Bell. After declining a forth piece of cake (which was actually pretty good- --Hoss figured that God blessed her with good cooking skills after neglecting her appearance), Hoss attempted to go to work on the falling apart house.  
  
Sara Bell had other plans however, and Hoss was beginning to fall asleep listening to her countless stories. Finally, he was aroused at his name being called out.  
  
"Hoss? Hoss, do you think that would be a good idea?"  
  
"Wha..." Hoss stammered. "Um, I don't see nothin' wrong with that atall." He smiled to himself at his quick recovery.  
  
"Really," Sara Bell squealed in an almost indiscernibly high pitch.  
  
Hoss winced and offered a half-hearted smile. "Sure ma'am," was his reply. Little did he know how difficult that agreement was about to make his life.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Ponderosa, Ben sat in his easy chair, leisurely reading his favorite book. Adam watched his Pa for a moment before leaning back on the couch and putting his hands behind his head.  
  
"Hey, Joe," he said in an undertone to his brother, "Do you suppose Hoss is finished fixing Miss Sara's house yet?"  
  
Joe shrugged. "I dunno," he said carelessly. I'm just glad Pa didn't make me do it."  
  
Adam grimaced. "Me, too. I can't see having her for a sister-in-law. If you had gone over there..."  
  
Joe looked up quickly. "Adam, how dare you insinuate that I would fall for her?"  
  
Adam grinned. "I meant no harm. You rarely meet a lady you don't like, that's all."  
  
"'Lady' being the operative word," Joe retorted.  
  
Ben looked up from his reading, obviously distracted. "What are you boys talking about?"  
  
Adam glanced sideways at Joe. "Pa, do you think Hoss is okay? It's been almost 4 hours since he left. Maybe we should ride over and check up on him."  
  
Joe snickered. "Adam just wants to call on Sara himself."  
  
Adam gave him a dark look that boded no good. "I won't even dignify that with a response." Ben shook his head at both of them. "Go ahead. But try to stay out of sight. You don't want him to think you're interfering with his work."  
  
They rode in silence to Sara's place, taking a slight detour through the woods. Finally they reined their horses to a stop.  
  
"That step is still broken," Adam observed.  
  
"Yeah, and the door is leaning at a crazy angle. It doesn't look like Hoss has done anything."  
  
"Speaking of Hoss," Adam contemplated, "Where do you suppose he is?"  
  
"Should I sneak down and peek through the window?" Joe asked.  
  
Adam nodded slowly. "Yeah, go ahead. But sneak carefully."  
  
A short while later, Joe was back. "Hoss is standing in the middle of the living room floor, and he looks really sick!" he reported. "You don't suppose she poisoned him, do you?"  
  
Hoss was feeling sick, all right, but not from having been poisoned. He had just discovered that he had agreed to take Sara Bell to the dance Saturday night, and now she wanted to model two dresses for him to see which one he liked best.  
  
He knew he just HAD to think of some way to rectify the mistake he had made, and never, ever let his brothers know about it, or they would tease him for the rest of his life!  
  
But how was he going to manage that without hurting Sara Bell's feelings?  
  
"Here's the second dress, Mr. Cartwright," Sara Bell giggled as she flounced down the steps with a loud pink dress. It was about the most hideous thing Hoss had ever seen. He was no lady, but the decorations of bows, frills, and ribbons made him cringe.  
  
"Listen, Miss Crawford, I--" Hoss started.  
  
"Oh Hoss," Sara interjected, "Please call me Sara." Noting the despondent look on Hoss' face, she quickly added, "But...but if that's too informal for ya, then you can always call me by my full first names, 'Sara-Lee Bell'".  
  
Hoss ignored her gushing reply and continued. "Miss Crawford..."  
  
The girl's face fell.  
  
"I jus' 'membered that I got some stuff to do on Saturday night."  
  
"What?!?" The lanky girl seemed to explode, and she lunged at Hoss' throat. "WHAT?!?"  
  
By this time Adam and Joe were both peeking in the window, trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Unfortunately, they couldn't hear what was being said.  
  
But it did look like Hoss was in big trouble when the tall, lanky Sara-Lee Bell lunged at him, bows and ribbons flying every which way!  
  
"Should we..." Joe began to ask Adam if they should come to Hoss' aid, but Adam had started to shake his head and grip his brother's arm.  
  
"No, Joe," Adam stated. "Hoss couldn't be hurt if a full grown bull moose attacked him, much less that skinny little Sara Bell. Wait for a few more minutes to see what happens."  
  
Joe agreed tersely, and both brothers strained to hear words floating through the walls toward their waiting ears.  
  
Sara Bell was saying, "Hoss Cartwright...I oughta....you dirty..."  
  
Joe and Adam didn't need to hear the words in between to understand that the girl was furious.  
  
Hoss just stood rigidly, only using his strength to stop Sara-Lee Bell from physically harming him. Psychologically, however, his conscience was getting the better of him, much to his dismay.  
  
"Miss Crawford, I didn't mean I couldn't take you to the dance at all. I just meant that I might be a little late pickin' you up."  
  
Sara-Lee Bell stopped pounding on Hoss at these words. "Why, Hoss," she said sweetly, "I am so sorry I misunderstood. I hope I didn't hurt you!" and she fluttered her eyelashes at him.  
  
"No, ma'am," gulped Hoss. "I'm just fine," he said, not feeling fine at all. "Now about those chores..."  
  
Adam and Joe were outside the window sill, jaws dropping at the scene unfolding before them. The voices of the two inside had dramatically quieted, and with just a few simple words, Hoss seemed to squelch the woman's anger at him. After a couple more inaudible exchanges, Sara-Lee giggled at Hoss in delight, pecked him on the cheek, and led him to the doorway.  
  
"What do ya reckon she was yellin' about," Joe inquired of Adam.  
  
Adam was still visibly in shock, but quickly recovered, turned to face his brother, and quipped, "Probably refused to marry her is all." A smirk played at the corner of his full lips.  
  
Joe, already unsteady on his feet, fought to stay balanced, but the laughter overtook him and he toppled over. A loud bang resonated at the side of the house where the youngest Cartwright fell over. Hoss heard the commotion and quickly ran to find out what happened.  
  
Fortunately, Adam kept his wits about him and quickly dragged Joe into a nearby clump of trees. By the time Hoss got around to the side of the house, the two were nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Musta been some kind of animal," Hoss said to Sara-Lee Bell, who had followed him outside. "Maybe a skunk."  
  
Adam had to cover Joe's mouth to keep him from giving them away again when he heard the word skunk. "Let's get out of here," he whispered to Joe. "We have plenty of things to tease Hoss about when he gets home."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was VERY late when Hoss rode up to the ranch house, and he was glad to see that at least all the lights were off, so hopefully everyone was asleep. The last thing he needed tonight was a lot of questions about how his day had gone.  
  
Hoss breathed a sigh of relief when he finally reached the door to his bedroom. Now he could forget everything that had gone wrong today for a few hours. But as he lit the oil lamp beside his bed, he noticed something strange over in the corner of the room.  
  
Crossing over to take a better look, he discovered a tall stick figure wearing a pink dress covered in ribbons and frills and bows! As his mind took it all in, he couldn't for the life of him figure out how anyone knew about this. Then suddenly it came to him; the noise he had heard outside Sara-Lee Bell's house--that was no skunk, but rather something worse than a skunk! As he barreled into the hallway, his eyes were full of rage. Joe had heard Hoss sneaking into the house, and had to fight to contain his laughter. He anxiously awaited his brother's reaction, holding his breath to hear better. He didn't have to wait long. Hoss' footsteps were soon barreling down the hallway, and Joe's laughter erupted.  
  
Hoss narrowed his eyes. He knew that devilish laughter anywhere.  
  
"JOE!" Hoss lumbered into his younger brother's bedroom and pulled the boy out of bed by his foot. Joe landed in a heap on the hard floor.  
  
"I'm gonna tan your hide good this time," yelled Hoss as he jumped onto the heap that was Joe. But Joe was too fast for him, managing to roll to one side, pull the bedclothes over Hoss' head, and sprint for the door.  
  
By the time Ben and Adam opened their doors, they were just able to catch a glimpse of Little Joe heading down the stairs with a pile of bedclothes right behind him. And as Joe and the bedclothes disappeared around the corner, there came a terrible crashing sound that echoed into the night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I've never seen Pa that angry in my entire life, thought Adam as he stood at the door dressed in his Sunday best. He knew he was expected, as a note had been sent and accepted. Not that he was happy about it, but it was actually better than facing his father's wrath, especially since he had been the one who thought up the joke to pull on Hoss. Besides, with Joe and Hoss now both laid up with broken bones, it was up to Adam to finish the job. But he did wonder if his little brothers had injured themselves on purpose.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted, however, as the door opened and he once again saw Sara-Lee Bell in her pink dress with ribbons, frills and bows. Nothing about her had changed since he last saw her, not even her hair, although he had been hopeful.  
  
"Why, Mister Cartwright," she said, batting her eyelashes and swinging her hips from side to side. "It is so kind of you to take Hoss' place at the dance tonight. To tell you the truth, I only accepted his invitation to be polite, because I have ALWAYS believed that it was you and I who were destined to be together!"  
  
And before Adam could even gulp, Sara-Lee Bell pulled him into her house, shut the door...and locked it!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe smiled at Hoss, lying tranquilly in the bed across the room. They both had been placed in Hoss' room together to keep one another company. Joe's leg was wrapped into a mummified state with bandages, as was his arm, and Hoss reflected his image, only with a couple of broken ribs to boot.  
  
Hoss neglected to return the smile.  
  
"What's wrong, older brother," Joe feigned innocence.  
  
"Dadburnit, Little Joe, this is all your fault. If'n you hadn't a made me so darn angry we both might not have broken bones right now."  
  
"What? You mean your bones really ARE broken," Joe stated slyly as he pulled the cloth wrap off his leg, and then repeated it with his arm. "I'm so sorry, brother. Better luck next time! I'll a...I'll see you later." With an elfish snicker, Joe leaped up, snickering profusely, and darted out of the room.  
  
As soon as Hoss could find his voice again, he yelled, "I'll get ya back for this, ya dirty little rascal!"  
  
Joe stole out across the yard in a streak on Cochise's back. He smirked at his own cleverness. Pa and Adam thought he had a broken arm and leg, Hoss wouldn't bother him, and he was out to meet Helen Ferguson.  
  
As he snuck to their secret meeting spot, he glanced at a spot on a nearby tree that read JC and HF, surrounded by a carved heart. He pulled a pocket watch from his green jacket coat. He was a few minutes early, but that gave him time to pick a handful of the wild flowers for his lovely lady. He set to work picking only the most delicate and vibrant flowers...the ones he felt best represented his girlfriend, and, hopefully, soon-to-be fiancée.  
  
As he picked the flowers, his mind drifted back to the first time he had laid eyes on Helen. She was so beautiful, he was sure that she had to be an angel, and that he must have died and gone to heaven.  
  
There had been other women in his life, of course, but no one like Helen. It wasn't just that she had outward beauty, which of course she did, but there just seemed to be a glow that radiated from her, and he was sure that it came from the beauty of her heart.  
  
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a rustling in the grass. Helen, he thought, starting to turn around to greet her.  
  
Then suddenly the world went black. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back at the ranch house, Hoss was furious. Not only did his younger brother cause him to have broken bones, he got away scot-free. Prolly out with some filly, Hoss thought in frustration. The only solace to the large man was that Adam was taking his spot in his date to Sara-Lee Bell. Hoss smirked. He only hoped Adam was enjoying himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam definitely wasn't. Although the offer had been to go to the social with Sara Bell, the young girl hadn't let him out her house yet. He kept suggesting that they should hurry if they were to get to the dance on time, but each time she dissuaded him, saying she'd rather talk to him.  
  
Might be better off, Adam mused. At least my friends wont see her and me together, her with that HIDEOUS dress!  
  
Finally Sara Bell sidled over to Adam and put her long, twiggy arms around his neck, Adam tried to pull away, but she held fast, pursed her lips, and moved to kiss him. He panicked. Adam put his hands on her waist to push her away, but just then her older brother, Duncan, entered the room. Both Adam and Sara Bell had been concentrating so hard on what was going on between them (each concentrating in a different way), that they had not heard Duncan unlock and open the door, nor had they heard his heavy footsteps approaching down the hallway.  
  
"ADAM CARTWRIGHT," growled Duncan, "if you don't get your hands off my little sis this instant, I will send you on a one-way trip to the cemetery!"  
  
"Duncan!" yelled both Sara Bell and Adam, Sara Bell with shock in her voice, and Adam with relief. Duncan-Hines Crawford was a big, brawny man, but right at that moment Adam was willing to deal with anyone besides Sara Bell.  
  
"I was just showing myself out," Adam smiled innocently as he moved quickly over to the door.  
  
"You bet you were," Duncan hissed, clenching his hand into a tight fist and pulling it back, poised to strike.  
  
"No, Dunckie," Sara Bell yowled. "I LOVE him!" With that she threw herself in the path of the brawny fist, was punched unintentionally by her brother, and was rendered unconscious. She fell into an overly exaggerated faint (as it seems the majority of western women encounter), hand resting atop her brow, and sighed her way into oblivion.  
  
"Look what you made me do!" shouted Duncan. "Quick go get the doctor!"  
  
"Gladly," sighed the relieved Adam, running down the street towards the doctor's office. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By the time Joe regained consciousness, dawn was approaching, and he was aware of only two things, how much his head hurt, and how hard the ground was that he was lying on, not the soft green grass where he had been picking flowers.  
  
As he opened his eyes to try to look around, he noticed that everything was blurry, and spinning around. He knew he had taken a hard whack on the head, but why did his entire body hurt, as if he had been in a terrible fight, and lost?  
  
Did he dare to try to move, or was he better off pretending to still be unconscious? If only he could get some idea of what was going on around him!  
  
Ignoring the pain in his body, he groggily twisted his neck so as to see his surroundings. He had decided it was better off to see what was happening. For all he knew, whoever did this to him could be long gone by now.  
  
The first thing Joe noticed when the haze began to clear was that he was in a cabin of some kind, lying on the floor. His wrists were not bound, but rather his ankle had a chain on it, much like one used on prisoners. This was attached to the wall of the cabin, and appeared quite sturdy.  
  
The second thing Joe realized was that he was beaten and bruised all over his body. Who could have done this to me, and why, Joe pondered.  
  
"So...you're awake," a gruff voice murmured.  
  
Joe lurched his head in the direction of the voice to see a man, his back turned to Joe, sitting on a chair. Joe had no recollection of ever seeing this man before.  
  
"What do you want with me?" demanded Joe.  
  
As the man slowly turned around, Joe was shocked at the sight of his face. The left half of it was so badly scared you could not even see where his eye had been! Obviously, he had been badly burned at some point in his life.  
  
"So," said the man, "I can see that your reaction to me is no different than everyone else's. Shock, disgust, dismay. Always the same."  
  
"What do you want with me?" Joe demanded again, trying to rise to his feet but sinking down again from weakness. "And who are you?"  
  
"You haven't heard about me?" the man snarled. "Why I thought your little girlfriend would have told you the whole story by now. But, no matter, it will all be over soon, now that I have you for bait!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several hours earlier, Helen had arrived in Joe's designated meeting spot. At first, she was rather irked that he was late, and then started to become concerned. Picking up her long, flowing yellow skirt, she made her way to the spot where her and Joe's initials were carved. "Joe, where are you?" she inquired of the initials. Receiving no answer, she glanced around until her large hazel eyes rested on a note under a rock. She berated herself for not realizing that if Joe couldn't come, he would leave some message for her.  
  
Helen smiled her mischievous, cocked grin and picked it up, unfolded it, and gasped. The message read:  
  
Remember me, my dear Helen? I have come back for you, like I promised. I have your friend here with me. Meet me alone at the old pottery cabin north of the lake. I have missed you; perhaps now we can catch up on old times.  
  
See you REAL soon, P. Galligher  
  
Helen's jaw set in determination. No way was she going to let Peter Galligher get the best of her and poor Joe. Hatred streaked across her eyes as she thought of what the man had put her through so many years prior. She would triumph, even if it meant her very life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By the time Adam arrived back at the Ponderosa ranch, it was very late, but he had no intention of sneaking in quietly and allowing his brothers to continue picturing him in their minds at the dance with Miss Sara Bell.  
  
Going into Hoss' room, Adam lit the oil lamp.  
  
"Wha...who...where's that dadburn light coming from?" snorted Hoss as he tried to turn his head to look at the door. "I just now got to sleep!"  
  
"Sorry, brother, but I wanted to report on my evening out," laughed Adam at the sight of Hoss squirming around in the bed, all twisted up in his nightshirt and covers. "We did not go to the dance, no one saw me with her, and you won't be seeing her for awhile, at least not until her black eye heals!"  
  
"You HIT Miss Sara Bell?" asked Hoss, with disbelief in his voice.  
  
"Of course not," snapped Adam, unable to believe Hoss would even think such a thing; must be the medicine he's on, he thought, as he continued.  
  
"It's a long story, but..." Adam's voice trailed off as he finally noticed Joe's empty bed. "Where's Joe?" he asked Hoss in surprise.  
  
"That goldang brother of ours was fakin' it all along," said Hoss, glad that he could finally tell someone. But as he was about to continue his story, there came a loud banging downstairs at the front door.  
  
"Who on earth could that be at this hour?" mused Adam, as he started out of the room.  
  
"I don't know," mumbled Hoss. "But I hope it's someone here to tell us that Joe is in a heap of trouble!"  
  
As Adam opened the door, he was surprised to see Helen pacing anxiously outside.  
  
"Adam," she breathed a sigh of relief, "Joe is in a heap of trouble!" With this, she related the story of how she was supposed to meet Joe out in the field, but then found the note.  
  
After Adam read the disturbing letter, he looked up to ask Helen, "Who is this P. Galligher?"  
  
"Peter Galligher," she sighed, furrowing her eyebrows in scorn of the name.  
  
"He...well...we used to be, ya know, TOGETHER," she blushed at Adam as she relayed the fact. "He started getting violent, and when I attempted to leave him, we got in an awful fight. Somehow a lantern got knocked over, and the whole house burst into flames. I was close to the door and able to get about before any harm came to me, but unfortunately Pete was stuck in there for a while. He had to go east for medical treatment from his burns, but before he left, he vowed to get even with me. I'm afraid he puts sole blame of the fire on me." Helen looked up at Adam, face reflecting the fear she felt. "Oh Adam," she sighed as she ran to the man's side, "You've just gotta help Joe! I don't know what that awful Galligher might do to him."  
  
"Alright," Adam replied. "You stay here with Hoss."  
  
"Oh no," Helen countered. "I'm going with you. I got Joe into this mess, and I've gotta help get him out of this."  
  
Adam nodded reluctantly, gave Helen an uneasy, tight-lipped smile, and said, "Okay. C'mon, let's go. There isn't much time."  
  
"Good luck, Adam, Helen," Hoss called from the top of the stairs grimly. He had crawled out to the stair landing, unnoticed by Adam and Helen until now.  
  
"Thank you Hoss," Helen replied. She quickly exited the house, Adam following immediately behind her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By the time Helen and Adam started on their way, Joe was able to stand and get a better look at his surroundings. The man who had brought him here had gone outside before Joe could get anymore information from him, including his name. But Joe could tell he was the most dangerous kind of predator there was; a man with nothing to lose, and murder on his mind!  
  
Joe found that his first assessment of the chain was correct; strong and sturdy. He was not going to be able to get if off him, or out of the wall. He next looked around for something he could use for a weapon, anything that might help him disable the man when he came back in. But there was nothing within his reach, and very little in the cabin in general. Joe had a feeling that the man didn't actually live here, but was using it as part of his plan to hurt Helen.  
  
And what about Helen? Joe thought. How could what had happened to the man have anything to do with his dear, sweet, beautiful Helen? And what was the man going to do to her? He just had to find a way out, and soon. But how?  
  
"Excuse me, sir," Joe bellowed, and he was instantly reminded how thirsty he was by his dry, scratchy throat.  
  
The gruff man barreled into the cabin. "WHAT?" Obvious to Joe, the man didn't like being interrupted, as he came inside, whip in hand, ready to thrash his prisoner. Joe immediately put up his hands in defense.  
  
"I'm sorry, mister. I just wanted to ask you a question is all." The man cautiously lowered his whip, so Joe continued. "Why do you want to hurt Helen?"  
  
The man scowled, then pointed at his face. "She did THIS to me. I want her to feel the pain I have to feel, not only physically, but every time someone shudders when they see my face. When she gets what's coming to her, she'll wish she'd never met me." His face contorting into a wild look, the man eyed up Joe. "She'll wish she'd never met you, too." He cackled an evil laugh before turning on his heel, leaving Joe shocked and dismayed behind him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Adam and Helen neared their destination, Adam considered how best to handle the situation. Obviously, this Galligher fellow would be watching for Helen, and he had told her to come alone. Adam wished she hadn't come at all, because he didn't like the risk she was taking. But he knew that she was in love with Joe, and arguing with her about coming would have just wasted time.  
  
Perhaps he should have awakened his father, but that would have taken time, too, and if this man was as dangerous as Helen said he was, time might be something that was running out for his little brother.  
  
Suddenly Adam reigned in his horse, indicating to Helen to do the same. "This is as far as we dare take the horses," he said grimly. "We'll go the rest of the way on foot to keep from being heard or seen."  
  
As they dismounted, Adam could tell by the position of the sun that it was about mid-morning. How long had Joe been here already, he wondered, and what kind of shape would they find him in? He said a silent prayer that they would at least find Joe still among the living.  
  
Helen grabbed onto Adam's arm. "Perhaps I should show myself to Peter, in order to get him out in the open," she offered, with only a hint of fright in her voice.  
  
"No," said Adam adamantly. "Let's see what we can find out first without him knowing anyone is here. Follow me, and do exactly as I tell you."  
  
And with that they started walking quietly through the woods towards the cabin.  
  
As they came nearer, a lone shadow was able to be distinguished by the side of the cabin. It was impossible to be sure who the long shadow belonged to, but it was moving about impatiently. The first thing that came to Helen's mind was if she could get a clear shot at the man or not. Truth be told, she was petrified of the man...she knew what he could do. He had beat her several times before she made her desperate escape. He had even once come after her with a knife, and she had a scar to prove it. Helen wanted to be rid of him, and glanced at the gun in Adam's holster. It would be no good to her, she finally realized. Pete Galligher was too far away, to be shot at from this range.  
  
Adam was eyeing up the situation thoughtfully. The man was guarding the only doorway to the small shack, and appeared to be scanning the area in expectancy. A single window adorned the side of the house the man was guarding, so looking in to see if Joe was alright wasn't an option. Joe, how do you get yourself into these messes, Adam thought in frustration. I swear---if I get that boy outa this mess alive, I'm gonna make sure he has a bone or two broken for good to make sure he doesn't go anywhere for awhile!  
  
Helen's voice interrupted Adam's thoughts. "Adam? I better go and get Peter to come out to me. Maybe then you can kill him."  
  
Adam turned to look at the girl next to him in shock. "Helen, we're not gonna kill him unless he tries to kill one of us first!"  
  
"You don't know what this man is capable of, Adam," Helen warned.  
  
Adam tried to squelch her fear of the man unsuccessfully, "I'm sure he's not as bad as you think, Helen, at least not bad enough to kill on the spot without so much as a reason."  
  
Helen's hazel eyes brimmed with tears as she gripped Adam's arm. "Not bad? Look at what he did to me, Adam," she growled, hiking up her dandelion yellow skirt. Adam looked away as a jagged scar showed itself up the length of her thigh. "He didn't think twice when he did this! Please, let me go talk to him. Ambush him and knock him over the head if you must, but please let me help get Joe out."  
  
Adam sighed with trepidation. "Okay," he mumbled. "But give me a minute to get to that edge of bushes right there, where I can sneak up behind him." Helen nodded with apprehension. "And, Helen? Be careful."  
  
Helen managed a smile as she crinkled her lightly freckled nose with a fear beyond mortal words.  
  
Inside the cabin, Joe was becoming more desperate with each passing moment. Not knowing what the man actually had in mind for Helen, or for him either, made it difficult to come up with any plan of action. He felt helpless, and it was not a feeling he was used to or liked.  
  
Just then he heard a voice outside the cabin, saying, "Alright, Pete, I'm here. Now take me to Joe."  
  
Recognizing the voice, Joe called out, "HELEN! GET AWAY FROM HERE AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"  
  
Startled, Helen turned her head toward the cabin, while at the same moment Peter grabbed her around the waist and dragged her through the cabin door!  
  
Adam was FURIOUS with himself for not reacting in time to stop what had happened. Why did I ever allow Helen to go to that man? If anything happens to her I will NEVER forgive myself! he thought angrily. But at least he knew Joe was alive, having heard him call out.  
  
Slowly Adam made his way to the window, which presented him with a grim picture of what was happening inside. There was Joe, chained somehow by the leg, and looking like he had been almost beaten to a pulp. And there was Peter Gallagher, standing near the middle of the room, with his arm still around Helen's waist, and a gun pointed at her head!  
  
Just then Adam was aware of movement behind him. Gun already drawn, he jerked around, only to hear a familiar, and welcome, voice.  
  
"It's me, Adam, it's Pa," Ben whispered. "Hoss told me what happened and where I could find you."  
  
"I'm glad you came," whispered Adam back in a strained voice. "I'm going to need all the help I can get here!"  
  
Unaware of people outside, Peter held the gun steady to Helen's head as she shook in fright. Joe strained against the chain unsuccessfully, all the while calling Helen's name. Pete cocked the gun and watched Helen squirm, than laughed as he pulled it away.  
  
"I could shoot you right now, but I wont. It seems too decent a death for you. Look at what you did to me, Helen," the man said as he pulled her face toward him so she could see the gruesome burn scars across his face. "I want you to feel what it is like to be ashamed of who you are, and to have others scorn you because of circumstances beyond your control."  
  
Helen tried desperately to worm away from the solid grip, but this just made Pete angrier. He backhanded her cheek with a resounding thud, and she stopped squirming and complied to his grip. Slowly, Pete gathered both of her wrists in one of his meaty hands, and stated, "I heard this fella of yours is pretty popular around these parts. Wonder how people would react to find out you just stood by and watched him get killed."  
  
Peter lowered the gun to aim at Joe, who looked around for a way to avoid getting shot. The chain attached to the wall was too short to give him a chance to run. Even if he did miss the first bullet, the second or third would certainly find him. Terrified, but with a brave facade, Joe turned to face the doom that surely awaited him.  
  
"No, please don't do that," Helen begged. She kicked and fought to loosen herself from her captor's grasp, or deter his aim, but he was too strong and she too weak. "You want ME, not him!"  
  
Although it took less than two seconds, the moment seemed to freeze: Joe, defiantly glaring down the killer; Helen, fighting to save the man she loved; and Galligher, smiling in a sick enjoyment at what was about to happen.  
  
As he slowly lowered his gun, Gallagher laughed an evil laugh. "Naw, shootin' you is too easy, and death wouldn't come slowly enough! What I mean to do with the two of you wont be easily forgotten, or the scars easily hidden."  
  
With that, he took a firm grip of Helen's wrists in one hand, and, reaching in his pocket with the other, pulled out a vial full of liquid.  
  
"Look," said Joe urgently, "do anything you want to with me, but let the girl go. What happened between you and her was an accident. If you want to show how tough you are, then deal with a man, not a lady."  
  
"SHUT UP!" yelled Gallagher. "I will do what I plan to do, and BOTH of you will suffer the consequences! Do you see this bottle I have here?" he asked, holding it up to the light. "This here liquid will do as much damage to the skin as fire will, and it only takes a few drops to do the job."  
  
ACID! The word raced through Joe's mind. Was he planning on using it on both of them, or did he have other plans as well? I must keep him talking, Joe thought. It will give me more time to think of what to do. Why on earth had Helen come alone? If only his family knew what was happening!  
  
Adam and Ben had been watching everything inside from the grimy window. They thought of charging in and surprising Galligher, but both knew how risky that was. Helen was in front of Galligher, and he could easily use her as a shield against any passing bullets. They had to wait for the right opportunity to storm in.  
  
Currently, a weary Joe was chattering at Galligher with urgency. Neither Adam nor Ben could see the vial which the man held.  
  
Inside, however, Galligher had put the gun to the side, and was opening the liquid, about to pour it onto Helen's squirming hand. In desperation, she kicked Galligher, and the vial jiggled just enough to spout a drop of the liquid on the man's hand. He yelped in surprise, and Helen ran for the gun. Galligher saw her actions and ran to Joe, shielding himself behind the chained man.  
  
As Helen twirled around, gun in hand, she saw Galligher holding Joe in an inescapable grasp. Joe gripped Galligher's arm, which was holding him across his chest and neck, and the vial was being brandished as a weapon over Little Joe's face.  
  
"Put down the gun, Helen," Galligher instructed the girl.  
  
Helen considered shooting Galligher's hand, but she didn't trust her aim. Joe's face was right behind it, and if she shot Galligher's hand, the bullet could go right through it!  
  
"Put the gun down or this pretty face o' his aint gonna be pretty no more."  
  
Joe tried to tell Helen with his eyes just to shoot the man. He's gonna do it to me and you if you put the gun down, Helen, so just shoot him and save yourself!  
  
Helen saw Joe trying to tell her something. She knew he wanted her to shoot Galligher, no matter the consequences to him. Helen had no idea how exactly she knew this, but she did. She struggled between her own wish to remain unharmed and the hopes that Adam would come in soon and rescue them.  
  
"Galligher," she asked, "Will you promise not to hurt Joe, only me?"  
  
"Just give me the gun, Helen," Galligher replied.  
  
Slowly, Helen shook her head. "No".  
  
Outside, Adam and Ben waited with apprehension. They had finally seen the vial, and knew it must contain something awful to make Galligher scream when it got put on his hand, and to make Helen want to put down the gun, which, although she wavered several times, still hadn't done. Father and son held their breath. They couldn't do anything yet. When had everything turned into such a big mistake?  
  
As Helen continued to hesitate, Joe squirmed around as best he could to try to give her a better shot at Galligher. As he did this, he knocked Galligher off balance, causing him to drop the vial, and the acid spilled onto the floor.  
  
"YOU WON'T WIN!" screamed Galligher as he let go of Joe and lunged toward Helen. She fired the gun just as he reached her, but only managed to graze him on the shoulder. As their bodies hit, they fell to the floor, knocking over the oil lamp on the table. The lamp landed between them and Joe, hitting the acid that had streaked across the floor and causing an eruption of flames.  
  
Just then, Adam kicked open the cabin door and Ben rushed in. "JOSEPH!" he yelled as he saw the fire racing toward his son.  
  
In the meantime, Galligher had regained possession of his gun and pulled Helen to her feet. "Drop your guns!" he yelled at Ben and Adam, pointing the gun once again at Helen.  
  
The two men immediately did as they were told, realizing the urgency of getting to Joe.  
  
Galligher kicked the guns aside, and pulled Helen out the door. "You'll never see her again, Cartwright," he yelled, and the two figures disappeared around the side of the cabin! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Helen fought the loathsome grasp that held onto her. "Joe! Joe!" she called. She had seen the fire heading toward the youngest Cartwright before Galligher herded her outside. He threw her onto the horse's back and was on behind her within seconds. Blood was seeping from his shoulder wound onto her. Helen was utterly disgusted and tried to throw herself from the horse.  
  
"STOP IT," Galligher yelled. The last thing Helen remembered before blacking out was the butt of a gun coming toward her temple.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inside the cabin, Joe searched for a way out of the flames. He was trapped. He could see the smoky figures of his father and brother through the growing fire. His thoughts, however, were for Helen.  
  
"Pa," he yelled, "go get Helen! That man's gonna kill her!"  
  
His father called out something to him, and he heard Adam calling his name with instructions to follow. He couldn't concentrate on what they were saying. The smoke was filling up his lungs, and he coughed uncontrollably. His body was already weak from the beating he had encountered, so he was slowly loosing consciousness from the lack of air and that heat that caused sweat to flood down his face. So this is how I'm gonna die, Joe thought. God, kill me if you have to, but save Helen! This was his last desperate plea before he passed out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam and Ben watched helplessly as Joe collapsed from the other side of the flames. How could they possibly reach him in time?  
  
Ben was frantic, and he called his son's name forlornly. "JOE!"  
  
Adam tried to keep his cool, but the stress was wearing on him! How could he get to his Little Brother before the flames did? There was only about one or two seconds before the fire would engulf Joe!  
  
Suddenly, Adam remembered seeing a barrel of water sitting on the porch by the front door. As he ran to it, he quickly jerked off his jacket, dipped it in the water and covered his head with it. As he ran back inside he scooped up his gun from the floor and headed towards Joe. Bending over the still figure, Adam shot the lock off the chain holding Joe, and dragged him to the door, where Ben helped lift him outside.  
  
"Joe, can you hear me?" beseeched Ben as he bent over Joe's limp body, now lying on the ground outside the cabin. "Can you hear me? Please, wake up, son," Ben continued as he massaged Joe's chest, hoping to force some air into his lungs. Adam stood by helplessly, coughing from the smoke he had inhaled.  
  
Suddenly Joe's body gave a jerk and he started coughing violently, trying to inhale fresh air at the same time. He raised up on one arm, Ben pounding on his back. After what seemed like hours, the coughing ceased, and Joe was able to sit up without aid.  
  
"Helen," was the first words out of his mouth, spoken in a gasp. "Where is she?"  
  
"Don't worry, son, we'll get her back," answered Ben with obvious relief in his voice. "They can't have made it far yet."  
  
Joe got onto his hands and knees, and then stumbled onto his feet. "A horse," he tried to scream. "Get me a horse!"  
  
Ben glanced at Adam. "I'm on my way to where we left the horses," Adam replied to Ben's unspoken request.  
  
As Adam was sprinting in the direction of the animals, Joe looked deep into his father's eyes. "Pa," he said, "he wants to kill her! That man wants to kill my sweet Helen!"  
  
Ben merely nodded in silent recognition.  
  
The moment Adam returned with the horses, Joe jumped on the back of the one that Helen had rode in on. It was a small animal, but known to be one of the fastest in the area. Joe sent the horse into a steady gait, and Adam, on Sport, and Ben, and Buck, were not far behind.  
  
All three of the present Cartwrights understood that time was against them, but luckily Galligher had been riding double with Helen, so that alone would slow him down some. But who knew what the insane kidnapper could do!  
  
After several minutes, Joe saw the figure of Galligher on a horse, clutching tightly to a limp Helen. His stomach lurched, and he began to close the gap between them.  
  
Ben and Adam both hoarsely whispered Joe's name. If Joe ran toward the criminal, they would be risking Helen's life. A surprise attack was their only hope.  
  
Joe stopped Helen's horse and turned to see what could be so important to want him to stop right now.  
  
"Joe," Adam instructed, "you ride straight up behind Galligher, I'll go around to the left, and Pa to the right. We'll try to cut him off that way."  
  
Grimly Joe nodded, and the three went their separate directions.  
  
But before any of them could get close enough to do anything, Galligher jumped off his horse, pulling Helen's seemingly lifeless body with him, and got down behind a section of boulders.  
  
"I know you're there, Cartwright," he yelled. "But it's too late; no one can help your Helen now!"  
  
Anger surged through Joe at the thought that Helen might really be dead. He leaped off his horse and went running towards the boulders, with no thought to his own safety. He didn't even have a gun!  
  
"JOE," yelled Adam, as he pulled his gun out of its holster. "GET DOWN!", and Adam fired at the place he had last seen Galligher. He then leaped off his horse and took cover behind some tall, thick bushes.  
  
At the same time, Ben drew his rifle out of its pouch, jumping off his horse and taking cover also. He heard rifle fire being directed towards Joe, and fired his rifle at the boulders, just as he saw Joe go down.  
  
Not knowing if Joe had been hit or not, Adam and Ben stopped firing to see what would happen next. Looking out from their hiding places, they saw a welcome sight!  
  
Joe was crawling slowly and carefully towards the largest boulder. No more shots were being fired at him, so he hoped that he could move all the way unseen. Maybe Galligher already thought that he was dead. But he knew he had to take the man by surprise; with no weapon on him, Joe would have to rely on his hands and brain to bring Galligher down. And neither part of him was working as well as he wanted it to. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Behind the boulder, Galligher had seen Joe fall. He sneered happily at the sight, then shrank down to Helen's body. He shook her awake and then asked, "Ya see what you done, Helen? That boyfriend of yours is dead! I hope you're happy."  
  
Galligher, the evil inside him seeping from his every pore, gripped the weakened girl by the throat and began to strangle the very life out of her. Helen attempted to scream and fight back, but already her body was being deprived of oxygen. Black spots started to appear in her vision, but among them, the face of Joe Cartwright appeared on the large rock above Galligher's head.  
  
"Joe..." Helen sighed the name. Galligher, stunned that the woman would utter the man's name, loosened his grip slightly and turned around, just as Joe was flying down off the bolder onto the surprised criminal!  
  
Joe and Galligher rolled across the hard ground, with Joe ending up on top of the larger man. Joe knew he had to take advantage of this position quickly, so he began to pummel Galligher in the face as hard and as fast as he could. Being stronger, however, Galligher pushed Joe off, rolling to one side and jumping up on his feet. He then grabbed Joe by the collar and pulled him up, smashing him in the stomach with his powerful fist. Joe crumpled to his knees, but managed to grab the big man by the legs and, pulling forward, caused Galligher to fall backwards. As Joe dove onto Galligher once more, the two men rolled down the hillside on the opposite side of the boulder from where Adam and Ben were.  
  
As soon as Joe had leaped over the boulder, Adam and Ben headed in that direction, but they were quite a ways from it. As they ran, they could hear the muffled sound of men engaged in battle, and both knew that Joe was in no shape to handle Galligher alone for long.  
  
Just as they rounded the boulder, a shot rang out, and they saw Helen holding a gun which was pointed at the two men, who were both lying on the ground.  
  
Helen had shot at the ground, intending to miss, but just get the men's attention. It would have been impossible to decide who was who in the tangle of arms and legs. Unfortunately, they had thrashed about right as Helen pulled the trigger, and now, though it was obvious one of the men had been hit, it was impossible to decipher who.  
  
Helen stood with her mouth open in shock. If she had killed her beloved Joe, than she would have to kill herself too, she decided. She found herself gripping tighter to the barrel of the pistol and beginning to tilt it toward herself, ready to do what needed to be done if Joe wasn't alive.  
  
Adam and Ben ran to Joe's side. Galligher was on top of him, and they both pulled up on the man. He was dead. Joe, however, had been smothered by the larger man. Under other circumstances, he would've jumped right back onto his feet, but between the beating, the fire, and the one-on-one battle, he had collapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
Helen saw the limp body of the only man she had truly loved before her, and gasped before putting the pistol to her head.  
  
Adam happened to glance up at the distraught girl as she had gasped, and jumped at the sight of her about to kill herself.  
  
"Helen! Don't!" Adam yelled in desperation.  
  
Adam's voice managed to penetrate the thick fog in Helen's brain, and she suddenly realized the foolishness of what she was about to do. With a shaking hand, she dropped the gun, then lowered her head into her hands and began to sob.  
  
Adam gently put his arms around her, and said, "It's alright, Helen, everything's all right. Joe is alive, just unconscious, and Galligher is dead. He will never hurt you or Joe again!"  
  
Hearing those words, Helen leaned into Adam, sobbing even harder, but now with relief, not sorrow!  
PART 2  
  
As soon as Helen was able to see for herself that Joe was alive, she allowed Adam to take her home, while Ben started out to the Ponderosa, holding Joe in front of him as they shared the same horse.  
  
After examining him, the doctor said Joe was lucky to be alive, and ordered several days of bed rest so his body would have time to mend, and Ben and Adam were making sure that he followed those orders!  
  
But now, after 2 days in bed, Joe was restless, and wanting to see Helen. Why was she taking so long to come see him? Adam had assured him more than once that she was unharmed, except for a slight headache from being knocked out, but Joe felt a desperate need to talk to her.  
  
As he lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, he became aware of the sound of hoof beats outside his window. As he carefully got out of bed to look, he heard the sound of his father greeting someone, and then the welcome voice of his beloved Helen!  
  
Joe also heard another voice, too, but wasn't too worried about it. His Helen was here to see him. Joe scurried back into bed and put on his most pitiful, puppy-dog face. Might as well milk as much sympathy from his girlfriend as possible!  
  
After waiting several minutes, Joe was becoming frustrated. What was taking her so long?  
Down stairs, Helen was introducing her best friend Penny Green to the Cartwright family. Penny was young and vibrant, and all of the men were taken aback by her beauty, but especially Adam. When he saw her, his face flushed with excitement, and he found himself to be speechless.  
  
Helen waited with apprehension. She hoped they would be a perfect match, but only time would tell. After a few minutes of watching the tentative conversation between Adam and Penny, Helen remembered why she had come.  
  
"I'll be upstairs," she told the family, and quickly bounded up the stairs to see her beloved Joe.  
  
After knocking on Joe's bedroom door, Helen heard a rather weak "Come in," and as she opened the door she was struck at how pitiful her Joe looked.  
  
All banged up and bruised, propped up by numerous pillows and with the bedclothes pulled up to his chin, her heart went out to him, and she rushed to his side.  
  
"Oh, Joseph, I am so sorry for what happened to you. It was all my fault! How can I ever make it up to you?" she said, with love in her voice.  
  
"Oh, Helen," Joe replied, shaking his head. "You can't be blamed for anything that happened; it was all the fault of a very disturbed man, who apparently had problems even before he was burned. And don't you know that I would do anything for you, even die, if necessary?"  
  
"Yes, I do know that now," Helen replied. "But there still must be something I can do to make you feel better."  
  
With that opening, Joe pointed to his left cheek and said, "Well, if you insist, right here is a spot that isn't sore. Maybe you could give me a kiss there?"  
  
So Helen leaned over and kissed his cheek.  
  
Then Joe pointed to his right cheek, saying, "This spot isn't sore either," and again Helen leaned over and kissed the spot he indicated.  
  
Then Joe pointed to his lips, but before he could say a word, Helen kissed them, and the two young people embraced.  
  
After a few minutes, however, Helen pulled away and sat looking at Joe with a seriousness on her face that Joe had never seen before, and it made him feel uneasy.  
  
Finally she spoke. "Joe, there is something important that I need to tell you." Joe glanced away from the hazel eyes which seemed to penetrate his very soul. After a moment, he timidly looked back into the unwavering stare.  
  
"What is it, Helen?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Well," Helen started, "You've probably been wondering why it's taken me so long to visit you."  
  
Joe nodded, slowly.  
  
"It seems...well...it seems that I have to go to Boston for awhile. I'll be back, but it may be a long while." Helen waited while Joe digested this information. His jaw had dropped slightly, and he was at a loss as what to say. Finally, he managed to speak.  
  
"Why? Why do you have to go, Helen?" he asked.  
  
Tenderly, Helen kissed his hand to lessen the blow of her reasons.  
  
"Joe, you're not gonna like this..."  
  
"Heck with what I like or not, Helen," Joe said, becoming slightly irate. "Please tell me why you have to go!"  
  
Helen lowered her head in embarrassment and shame. "Alright," she relented, "but you must promise to hear me out before you say anything. It's something I've just gotta do. Promise, Joe?" She attempted to kiss his hand again, but he pulled away, his eyes demanding a reason.  
  
Sadly, she stood up to pace the room as she told Joe her reason for going. "My best friend from back east arrived yesterday for a visit," she began cautiously. "She is actually downstairs right now, getting acquainted with your family, especially Adam," and she winked when she added that last part. "Anyway, she brought some news with her that I found distressful. When I lived in Boston, I was seeing a man named Robert Peterson. We became rather serious about each other, but before we could talk about marriage, his father died in India where he lived due to business dealings.  
  
"Robert had to travel there immediately, and once there, found that he would have to stay for at least a year to clear up all his father's affairs. He asked me to wait for him, and I wanted to, but then my family moved out West. He and I tried to keep in touch, but it was just too hard at that great a distance, so we finally said our goodbyes.  
  
"Robert has been back in Boston for awhile now, although I had not heard from him. But my friend told me that he is suffering from bouts of malaria, which he picked up in India, and in his delirium he always calls for me."  
  
Joe, feeling upset and not wanting to hear anymore, remarked sarcastically, "And just how many of your former boyfriends are going to keep coming back into your life? First, Galligher, and now this Robertson fellow. Who's next?"  
  
"Joe, please don't be angry with me," Helen pleaded, coming to sit once again at his side. "I love you, you know that, but I feel that I can't continue planning my life without at least helping Robert to be able to plan his life too. My friend, Penny, says there is a chance he could recover completely from the malaria, but he needs nursing care, and can't afford it. Since Penny is interested in seeing what life is like out here, she could stay with my folks and I could go to Boston and stay with her family while I try to help Robert. It actually might not take as long as it sounds like it would!"  
  
As Joe looked into Helen eyes, which were begging for understanding, he couldn't stay angry any longer. "You are right, Helen, I don't like it," he said, "but I do understand your reasons, and I admire your desire to help your friend. Your caring spirit is one of the things that first attracted me to you, so how can I attempt to squelch that now?"  
  
"But," he added, as this time he took Helen's hand in his and kissed it, "I must make sure that you know how much I love you, too, and how much I already miss you."  
  
"I do, Joe," said Helen as she laid her head on his chest and he began to stroke her hair, "and I miss you already, too. But thank you for believing in me, and my need to see this situation through." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Downstairs, Penny and Adam were really hitting it off. She was instantly attracted to his dark seriousness, and became intrigued with his every word.  
  
Adam, in turn, was enjoying Penny's company.  
  
"Penny," he looked deep into her eyes as he asked her (by this point, Ben and Hoss had left to tend to other matters, seeing as how their guest was being well entertained), "how long are you planning on staying?"  
  
Penny replied, "Well, I told you I was from Boston, didn't I?"  
  
"Yes, you did."  
  
"Helen is going back there to care for her old boyfriend, and---"  
  
"ANOTHER one," Adam asked, his eyebrows suspended in surprise.  
  
Penny had heard the story of Galligher's recent visit. Although she had never said it out loud, Penny was secretly embarrassed of her best friend's many boyfriends.  
  
"Yes," Penny said, "another one. Helen's been with a lot of guys before. She's not a bad person, she just falls in love too easy."  
  
"Sounds like Joe," Adam muttered, smiling slightly. Guess they're better off for one another than they realize, Adam surmised.  
  
Penny didn't hear the last interjection Adam made, so she continued, "I'm not like that, though." Color began to rise in her cheeks. "I like to think things through before I do them."  
  
Adam grinned, then asked, "Would you like to go to the Friday night social with me?"  
  
Penny smiled. She had been hoping he'd ask. "Yes, I would LOVE to."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, Joe and Helen were still in one another's embrace.  
  
"Helen? When are you leaving," Joe inquired.  
  
"First thing Saturday morning."  
  
Joe turned Helen's face up toward his. "Then will you go to the social with me Friday night?"  
  
"I can't stay out too late, but yes. I'd be happy for you to be my escort, Joe Cartwright!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Helen and Penny made their way back to Virginia City, they went slowly in order to talk. Penny had first asked how things went with Joe, and Helen had explained what had transpired between them.  
  
Then Helen asked Penny how she liked the Cartwrights.  
  
"Oh, they were very nice. I felt sorry for Hoss, though, having to hobble around on crutches. He seemed really sweet."  
  
"Alright, what I actually meant was, how did you like Adam," laughed Helen, knowing Penny deliberately left him out.  
  
"He was nice," was all Penny said.  
  
"NICE!" answered Helen. "Is that all you can say about a handsome, intelligent, terrific man? I'm telling you again, you two are perfect for each other!"  
  
"Don't get your feathers ruffled over this, Helen," replied Penny. "I can see what you are saying about him, but you know I don't like to rush into things. I even told him that, and then immediately accepted his invitation to the Friday night social; what does that tell him about me?"  
  
It tells him that you are also intelligent, especially when it comes to picking out a man!  
  
"Maybe," Penny conceded, "but I have been hurt before, so I think it's best to keep a man at arm's length for a good while."  
  
"So just miss out on the fun, Miss Finicky," answered Helen. "It's your life! But at least we can go to the social together."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Back at the ranch, Joe had come downstairs to lie on the settee and fill his family in on the discussion he had with Helen. Adam, of course, was not surprised by it, and though Ben and Hoss were, they didn't show it, figuring that Joe had gone through enough in the last few days without them adding their two cents worth about his problems.  
  
So Hoss, deciding to change the subject by telling Joe about Penny, remarked "She shore was pretty, Joe, and nice, too. Why, if I hadn't been banged up like I am, I woulda asked her to the social this coming Friday!"  
  
"Yeah," said Joe, finally smiling a bit, "so you wouldn't end up somehow with Miss Sara Bell!"  
  
"What about you, Adam?" asked Ben, looking curiously at his eldest son. "You and Penny seemed to hit if off, and since she doesn't know many people yet, why didn't you ask her to the social?"  
  
"She has a date, Pa," said Adam, without a hint of emotion, "so you don't need to worry about her."  
  
Ben was disappointed with this news, for at times he worried about whether or not Adam would ever find someone to love that would love him back. But he held his tongue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was Friday night and almost time for Joe to pick up Helen for the social. His bruises had faded considerably, and he looked handsome in his Sunday best. He had wanted to do something special for Helen, so he had spent hours cutting out the spot in the tree where Joe and Helen's initials had been carved with a heart around it. This wooden momentum from the tree was carefully crafted, by Joe's own hands, onto a small wooden jewelry box. The gift was wrapped in fine paper and topped with a pretty bow (he, of course, had received help on this last part). Joe finished securing his tie bandana around his neck and bounded at the door to spend his last evening with Helen. Joe vowed to savor every moment of it.  
Adam, meanwhile, still hadn't fessed up about his date with Penny. He wanted it to be a surprise. He studied he handsome reflection in the mirror one last time before waltzing out the door. He was to pick up Penny in a rented buggy.  
Ben couldn't figure out what was with Adam. For the past few days, he seemed happily preoccupied. The father had an inkling that it had something to do with a woman (for only a woman could distract a man that much, Ben had mused). He couldn't get any information from his eldest son, however, and decided not to press the issue. As he prepared for the social, Ben said to himself, "You'll find out in due time. If you know women, and they don't like to stay in hiding where men are concerned!"  
Hoss was going to the social as well (despite his recent injuries from the stairs accident), but only to listen to music and, well, eat of course! He, too would be taking a buggy, but with his father. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the same time the men were preparing for the dance, the women were preparing, also. Penny had brought some of the latest fashions from Boston, and Helen could hardly wait for Joe to see her in her new dress. It was made of silk, and the color was cobalt blue. The sleeves were puffy around the top, and it was high-waisted with a scooped neckline that went off the shoulders just a bit. And she was wearing a necklace that Joe had given to her soon after they started dating.  
  
Penny, on the other hand, was not thinking about her appearance as much as her friend was. She did look lovely in a dress the same style as Helen's, but with some lace around the waist and hem, and the color a dark red. While Helen had put her long, blonde hair up in a swirling bun, Penny had decided to let her long, silky black hair hang loose.  
  
What was actually occupying Penny's mind was Adam. Even while busy during the week seeing and doing things that were new to her, she could not get her mind off him. His wonderful smile, penetrating eyes, and the ease with which they talked caused her to let her guard down too easily, and although she was eager to see him, she was nervous about the date, too.  
  
At least we will be with Helen and Joe, and many other people will be around, too, she told herself. Maybe Hoss and Ben would be there, also. She could talk to Hoss and even dance with Ben, just to keep from falling under Adam's spell once again. She had to keep her wits about her, that was all there was to it!  
  
A knock resounded at the front door, and both girls looked at one another in expectancy... who would it be?  
  
Helen pranced to the door an opened it, peering outside. Her face fell slightly at seeing Adam there instead of Joe, but she quickly recovered her manners. "Come in...I think Penny's almost ready..."  
  
As Adam stepped inside the threshold to the house, Penny walked out of her friend's bedroom. Adam smiled at his lovely date and cocked his head slightly in gentle appreciation of her beauty. He held out is arm for her to link elbows with and said, "You're looking lovely tonight, Miss Green!"  
  
Penny smiled coyly and walked out, avoiding Adam's offered elbow. "Thank you." Meanwhile, she was thinking, I WILL NOT fall for him... I WILL NOT fall for him...  
  
As Penny sashayed out the door, Adam stood with stunned perplexion. Helen, too, was surprised. She always greeted Joe with a kiss! It would take all of her very being to avoid kissing him when they greeted, much less choose not to link arms with him!  
  
Adam looked back at Helen, still slightly in shock, he smiled mischievously and shrugged. "I'll see you later, Helen," he said, before turning on his heel and running to catch up with his elusive date.  
  
Helen closed the door behind him, shaking her head in bemusement at her friend's actions. "To each her own," she shrugged, then returned to her mirror for any last minute touches to her appearance before Joe came to pick her up.  
  
It wasn't long before a sporadic knocker alerted his presence at Helen's family's front door. Helen grinned her cocky grin and opened the door to reveal a dapper Joe Cartwright.  
  
"Evening, Joe," Helen said, joy smothering her features.  
  
"Helen," Joe replied, immediately walking to the young girl, smiling pleasantly down at her. Helen waited expectantly for her kiss of greeting, but none came. Her smile still unwavering, she furrowed her brow at Joe.  
  
"Why are you being such a conservative gentleman, Joe Cartwright," she asked, unconsciously straightening his vest and tie.  
  
His voice sweet and tender, he replied, "I know this is gonna be our last night together for a while, and I want it to be special."  
  
"But," she began, her eyes full of question as she looked up at his face, "YOU are special, Joe." Having said this, she kissed him lightly on the cheek, giggled, and strutted over to the waiting buggy.  
  
Joe, a playful gleam across his features, stood watching her and smiled.  
  
"Well," Helen accentuated the word, and the setting sun made her hazel eyes twinkle, "are you coming or are you just gonna stand there drooling all night long?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once Adam had caught up with Penny outside, waiting for him to help her into the buggy, he got into the carriage himself and they were on their way. It's a good thing we weren't walking to the dance, he thought to himself as he settled into his seat, or she would have been there half-an- hour before me!  
  
It was a beautiful starry night, with a full moon overhead, and Adam couldn't help being swept away by how lovely Penny looked tonight. But after the reception he had received from her, he wasn't sure what he should say.  
  
"You do look lovely tonight, Miss Green," he finally ventured, turning towards her as he spoke.  
  
"And you look very handsome, Mr. Cartwright," Penny answered, but without turning to look at him.  
  
Now Adam was beginning to get amused. Such formality, he thought, and why won't she look at me? So he decided to try something drastic to get her attention; he leaned over and lightly kissed her on the lips.  
  
Penny responded by giving him a resounding slap on the face, then stood up in the buggy, and said, "And to think that I thought you were a gentleman, Adam Cartwright. Why, I wouldn't spend the evening with you if my life depended on it!" And she quickly got out of the buggy, which had come to a stop when Adam had pulled back on the reigns to get out of her reach in case she decided to slap him again.  
  
As Penny started walking in the direction of where the social was being held, Adam got the horse moving slowly enough to just keep pace with her.  
  
Grinning, he said, "And I thought you were a lady, but a lady would not be out in the evening without an escort!"  
  
"Ohhhhh!" Penny muttered in frustration. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she answered, "So you can just go on your merry way!"  
  
"If that's the way you want it," laughed Adam, and he took off down the road, leaving Penny behind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe and Helen were soon on their way to the social on the buggy in a cheerful embrace. Helen's eyes were closed, and she was simply enjoying the movement of Joe's chest rising and falling from his deep breaths. Suddenly Joe pulled the horse to the stop, and Helen looked up in surprise.  
  
"Joe, what's wrong," she asked.  
  
Joe pointed to a frazzled figure along the side of the road. "Isn't that..."  
  
"Penny!" Helen quickly dismounted from the buggy and ran to her friend's side. Her black hair had been done so nice and silky soft, but was now looking as rumpled as her dress. A pout played across her lips, and her eyes shone with tears of frustration.  
  
She stomped over to Joe and shook her finger in his face. "That...that...BROTHER of yours tried to kiss me, and when I refused, he just left me here!"  
  
"I'm sure there's been some misunderstanding," Joe attempted to reassure her.  
  
"Does THIS look like a misunderstanding," Penny asked, pointing at the side of the road, gesturing that she had been left there.  
  
"Uh, no, ma'am," Joe offered. He scooted over in the buggy to allow room for the abandoned girl. So much for his romantic night with Helen!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam had traveled not more than a mile down the road, and was now turning back. Hopefully she'll be more subdued when I pick her up, Adam thought. As he got closer, however, he noticed his youngest brother helping his date into Joe and Helen's buggy.  
  
Adam frowned. His ingenious plan to tease Penny and hopefully regain her respect wasn't going as planned! Little Joe had spotted Adam sitting up ahead in his buggy, but with the mood that Penny was in, he decided it was best that they just pass him without stopping. What on earth had happened, thought Joe. He hadn't even known that Adam was taking Penny to the social, and her account of what had happened just didn't sound like something his big brother would do.  
  
Adam watched them as they passed, but no one looked at him. Sighing, he slowly turned his buggy around and followed at a discreet distance.  
  
Upon arriving at the social, Helen smoothed Penny's dress out and straightened her hair as best she could. When they entered the dance hall, they noted how crowded it was, looking like all of Virginia City was there. The music was playing, many couples were dancing and groups of people were standing or sitting around, talking and eating.  
  
Penny was suddenly aware of how she had rudely interfered with Helen and Joe's evening, so she told them that she would be fine, now, and for them to go ahead and have a good time. She even told them she would be able to find an escort home.  
  
Looking around as Helen and Joe walked away, Penny was relieved to see Hoss sitting over by one of the food tables; his familiar face was a welcome sight, and she went over to him.  
  
"Hello, Hoss," she said pleasantly, "I guess you are not in the mood for dancing tonight!"  
  
Looking up, Hoss was pleased to see Penny again. "No, ma'am, I reckon I'm not." he said as he laughed. "But I am in the mood for a pretty lady to join me, if'n you'd care to sit down."  
  
Penny thankfully took the seat beside him as he continued, "Surely you're not alone tonight. I was told that someone was bringing you to this social."  
  
"Someone was," sighed Penny, "but he turned out not to be a gentleman, so I refused to have him accompany me."  
  
"Well, Miss Penny," said Hoss, with concern in his voice, "I would be glad to give that person a piece of my mind if you would just tell me who it was, 'cause a lady like you certainly deserves the best treatment a man can give."  
  
"Thank you, Hoss," Penny said, smiling brightly at him, "but I think I said all that needs to be said to that brother of yours!"  
  
"What brother?" asked Hoss in confusion, knowing that it couldn't have been Joe, and thinking that Adam was coming alone.  
  
"THAT brother," Penny said, her smile changing to a frown, and she nodded toward the doorway as Adam was entering.  
  
Adam took in the sights of the hall as his eyes slowly moved across the room. Eventually he spotted Penny, sitting with Hoss, and, feeling awkward about joining them, took a seat on the other side of the room.  
  
In the meantime, Ben had noticed Adam's arrival and was surprised to see the forlorn look on his face, as if he had just lost his best friend. What could have changed his mood so drastically from the time he left home until he got here? Perhaps he had found out that his lady friend wasn't coming.  
  
"Hello, Ben," someone said, interrupting his thoughts. Ben turned around and saw that it was Harold Ferguson, Helen's father. "Hello, Harold," answered Ben, "it's been awhile since we have seen each other."  
  
"Yes," replied Harold, "and, although I've thanked Adam, I haven't had a chance to thank you for saving my daughter's life the other day!"  
  
"You don't have to thank me, Harold," answered Ben, "she was a big help in rescuing my son. I'm just sorry she is leaving for awhile. Joe will miss her terribly."  
  
"Yes," said Harold grimly, "I wish she wasn't going, either, but she has a mind of her own. And that reminds me; I have a favor I want to ask of you."  
  
"Anything, Harold," Ben offered. "Just name it."  
  
"Well, you may have heard that Helen's friend, Penny, is going to stay on with my wife and me. We don't mind at all, but I just found out yesterday that I need to make a trip to both San Francisco and Sacramento on business, and my wife would really like to go with me. It would be a little difficult to take Penny with us, so I would like to leave her with someone I trust, and since I know she would enjoy seeing what ranch life is like, I was wondering if she could stay at the Ponderosa."  
  
"Of course," said Ben with a big smile. "I'm sure it would do my sons some good to have a female in the house," not adding that he was particularly thinking it would be good for Adam. "Why, Miss Penny," Hoss stated, "What'd my brother do to ya to get ya all riled up?"  
  
"It's kind of a long story, Hoss, and I'd rather just put it behind me."  
  
"Fair 'nough," Hoss responded. He figured he would just have to ask Adam later and hope his brother would give him a straight answer.  
  
Penny was quick to bring up a new topic to talk about, and the two were soon engaged in a pleasant, easy conversation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe and Helen had been dancing amidst the group of people for a while, chattering away with each other and just generally enjoying one another's company.  
  
As Joe realized the night would soon get away from them, however (especially since Helen had to leave early) he pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear.  
  
"I have a surprise for you, Helen, if you'll just follow me..."  
  
Helen's eyes glinted in excitement and she allowed Joe to pull her outside by the hand.  
  
He led her to their buggy, their horses long since unhooked and tethered up in a barn out back, and retrieved something from under a blanket in the back. He held it behind heis back while she attempted unsuccessfully to get a peek of what he was hiding. With a flourish, he revealed a wrapped package and handed it to her.  
  
Helen giggled in anticipation and then looked up at Joe.  
  
"Joseph Cartwright," she said, playfully 'tisking' her tongue. "Are you trying to schmooze me over with a going-away present?"  
  
Joe was quick to flirt right back.  
  
"I figured a little gift might help persuade you not to run off with another man."  
  
"And what if I do, Joe? What would you do about it?"  
  
Helen abandoned the unopened gift resting on the side of the buggy to put her arms affectionately around Joe's waist.  
  
"Well, little lady," Joe replied, returning the embrace. "I might just have to take you home and punish you for awhile, because you'd have been a bad girl."  
  
Helen grinned and kissed Joe lightly on the lips. He returned her smile and attempted to kiss her again, but she put her hand over his mouth and blocked him. He shrugged and kissed her hand instead, but she pulled away and gave him a teasing look of defiance.  
  
"No more of that until I see what you got me, mister!"  
  
Joe sighed in mock frustration and gestured for her to open the present. "Hurry it up, will ya? I'm not sure I can wait much longer!!"  
  
Helen giggled and reached for the nicely wrapped gift.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben and Harold walked together to where Penny and Hoss were chatting amiably. Adam watched curiously from across the room.  
  
"Penny," Harold began, "You remember how I told you that Fran and I might be going on a business trip together." After Penny nodded, he continued, "Well, we are going to be leaving tomorrow. I hope you don't mind, but the Cartwrights have offered to have you in their home while we are gone."  
  
Penny stared at the friendly faces of Ben and Harold, then looked over at Hoss in disbelief. She was stunned! Stay in the same house as Adam Cartwright? she mused, I think not! Before Penny could protest, however, Ben added, "And I would be much obliged if I could have the pleasure of your company during this next dance," and he offered her his hand.  
  
Still feeling rattled, she took it and replied, "I would be pleased to dance with you, Mr. Cartwright," and she rose to her feet.  
  
"Please, call me Ben. Since you will be living in my house for awhile we must not stand on formality," and with that he whisked her onto the dance floor.  
  
Desperate for some way to get out of going to the Ponderosa, Penny managed to say, "But, Mr....I mean, Ben, I just couldn't impose on you that way. I would be perfectly fine staying at the hotel or the boarding house until the Ferguson's return."  
  
"Nonsense!" laughed Ben as they glided around the floor, "we have plenty of room, and you would be a welcome distraction rather than an imposition. Besides, we're in the middle of breaking the wild horses right now, and I think you would enjoy watching that. We have a horse that would be perfect for you to ride, and I know my sons would enjoy showing you around our beautiful home!"  
  
And with that, Ben stopped, and Penny found that she was standing right in front of Adam! Adam was as surprised as Penny, but managed to rise to his feet as his father remarked, "In fact, Penny, I'm sure Adam would even enjoy showing you around the dance floor!" And he was gone.  
  
Not knowing what else to do, Adam took Penny in his arms, and they began to dance.  
  
"What did my Pa mean by 'showing you around the dance floor?'" he asked, looking down on Penny and wishing things were alright between them. He could tell by the stiffness in Penny's body that things were not alright yet.  
  
"I guess you will have to ask him that question," she replied curtly. "He's YOUR father!"  
  
"Penny," Adam said quietly, "I am truly sorry about the misunderstanding we had earlier. I'm really not the bad guy here."  
  
"And what misunderstanding was that?" Penny asked, not daring to look at Adam's face, in case she started crying, for she truly wanted to believe him, but was afraid to trust someone again after what she had been through before. His voice was so strong and he spoke so sweetly, though, she didn't know how much longer she could hold out. Why had she ever agreed to come tonight, anyway? But she already knew the answer to that question; it was a matter of the heart.  
  
"The misunderstanding about the kiss," Adam offered in explanation. "I was just trying to break the ice, and did a very poor job of it, making a fool of myself and hurting you. Can you forgive me?"  
  
"There was no misunderstanding about it. I understood you perfectly," she replied, suddenly pulling away from him and running outside.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Helen had never been speechless in her life until the moment she opened her present from Joe. Realizing how much thought and time he had spent on giving her the perfect gift caused her to forget that anyone else was around; she and Joe were alone in their own little world.  
  
Holding the box in her hands, she traced around the heart and the initials with her fingers. What a perfect way for him to send his love to Boston with her! When she finally got her voice back, all she could manage to say was, "I love it, Joe, and I love you!" before Joe took her into his arms and they began to kiss. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hoss watched in hopeful anticipation as Adam talked to Penny across the room. He so badly wanted her to find peace with his brother, so it was no surprise when he became deeply grieved for both Penny and Adam's sake when Penny quickly exited the dance room. Adam stood looking at her fleeing figure for a moment, then sighed and walked dejectedly over to his brother.  
  
Hoss motioned for Adam to sit down next to him, and Adam complied, buried his face in his hands. Hoss watched his brother's distraught reaction and his jaw dropped slightly. Adam never displayed his emotions so openly. Why now?  
  
"Adam, you okay?" Hoss asked gingerly.  
  
Adam looked up and searched his brother's face before answering.  
  
"Hoss," Adam said, "I can't imagine ever feeling this way about a woman before. Sure, I've had my share, but Penny's so intelligent and easy to talk to. I get this feeling I've hardly ever gotten before, Hoss! It's so hard to explain, but it's like my stomach turns over in itself, and I can barely think straight because I'm trying to figure out what to say to her next!"  
  
Hoss smiled at his older brother's description. Hoss got "butterflies" in his stomach all the time, but figured Adam was so nonchalant by most events that happened to him that he rarely got those twittery feelings.  
  
Hoss responded to his crestfallen brother, "Adam, looks like you got a case of the good ol' fashioned jitters! T'aint nothin' wrong with that, though! Why don't you go and talk to Penny, and tell her what you jus' told me?"  
  
Adam looked concerned for a moment, and then nodded, stood, and hurried out of the dance hall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Outside, Helen finally pulled herself from Joe's loving grasp.  
  
"Joe," she said sadly, "It's time for me to go."  
  
"No..." Joe pleaded. "Please, not now, not ever! Don't leave me Helen!" He despondently threw his arms around her.  
  
Helen sadly pushed him away. "Please don't make this harder for me than it already is! At least now I've got your love to carry with me," She opened the lid to the small wooden box as she said this and slowly smiled.  
  
"Let me take you home, Helen," Joe pleaded.  
  
Helen slowly shook her head. "It'd be better if you didn't Joe. Let's just say our goodbyes now."  
  
Joe looked down at the dirt ground and scuffed his foot in the dirt, considering her statement. How badly he wanted to follow her to Boston! To be her guardian, and watch over her safety. What if she turned out to like her old boyfriend again and got married to him?!? Or, worse yet, what if something happened to her and she couldn't return back to Joe safely?!? Joe could barely force himself to think of this.  
  
When Adam got outside, he noticed a number of people milling around, but couldn't spot Penny. Would she have actually started walking back to town, he wondered, or would she have just gone somewhere to be alone?  
  
After thinking about it, he decided to check around nearby. The north side of the building seemed to have the fewest people near it, so he headed in that direction.  
  
As he walked quietly into the woods, he listened for any sound that might give him a clue as to Penny's whereabouts, and finally he heard it, the muffled sound of someone crying. It wasn't long before he spotted her, sitting under a tree with her arms around her knees and her head resting against them.  
  
Trying to decide the best way to handle the situation, he finally just sat down beside the distraught girl and put his arm around her shoulder, offering her his handkerchief at the same time. It nearly broke his heart to see her like this!  
  
Looking up and seeing that it was Adam who had joined her, Penny sighed and laid her hand and face against his chest. It felt good to have someone comfort her, especially Adam.  
  
After a few minutes Penny's tears ceased to flow, and her breathing slowed down, so Adam decided to venture talking to her.  
  
"Penny, I really am sorry for what I did."  
  
"Oh, Adam," she replied, raising her head up and looking straight into his eyes, "it isn't anything you did; it's me; it's my problem."  
  
Gazing back at her, Adam said softly, "Would it help any to talk about it?"  
  
"I've never told anyone the whole story, not even my parents or Helen," she replied, "but maybe it's time that I did tell it. I thought I was ready to handle seeing someone again when I accepted your invitation for tonight, but I was wrong."  
  
"What happened?" Adam asked, urging her to continue.  
  
"This time last year I was engaged to a man whom I thought was the most wonderful man in the world," she began. "But soon I learned that he was using me for his own agenda, and was even seeing someone behind my back." And Penny felt the emotions welling up in her again.  
  
"It's alright, take your time," said Adam, as he put his arm back around her shoulders and they leaned against the tree.  
  
Finally Penny felt ready to continue. "When I went to see him to break the engagement, he became very angry, violent, really, and he... he..." and she couldn't go on.  
  
"Did he hurt you?" asked Adam, anger in his voice.  
  
"No," Penny replied, grateful that Adam appeared to really care, "but he tried to. He tried to force himself on me, but I was able to fight him off and run away! There, now I've said it; if only I could forget it!"  
  
Adam just remained quiet, but pulled her closer to him, and they sat like that for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile, Joe had finally consented to allowing Helen to return home by herself. She had rented a horse from the nearby stable on which to travel.  
  
It was finally time to say goodbye.  
  
"Helen, I love you very much. I'll miss you so much and..." Joe's features contorted ever so slightly and he struggled to continue. "I...Well, PLEASE don't forget about me while you're gone! I don't know what I'd do if..."  
  
Helen put a shushing finger over Joe's lips.  
  
Ever so softly Helen tried to squelch his fears. "Joe, I love you very much, also. Heaven forbid I ever forget about you!" Clutching her gift close to her heart, she added, "Besides, now I've got this to remind me of you!"  
  
She leaned up to him to kiss him one last lingering moment and looked away in a torn grief. It took her a moment to muster up enough courage to look Joe in the eyes again. Forcing a tight smile, she finished up by stating, "I'll be back for you, Joseph Cartwright...don't you worry none about that!"  
  
They hugged briefly, and she turned and wandered over to her rented horse.  
  
As she rode away, she yelled, "I love you!"  
  
Joe was sure his heart would shatter. Helen already had tears, unbeknownst to Joe, streaming down her tan cheeks as she rode away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saturday dawned bright and beautiful, but Ben hardly noticed because he was so preoccupied with his sons.  
  
Joe was feeling very low; dragging around the house with a hound dog look on his face, not wanting to talk to anyone. At least Ben knew what his problem was, but he still didn't know how to comfort him.  
  
Hoss was quiet, but every once in a while he would make a face, so Ben knew that he was studying on something important. What he didn't know was what it was; Hoss' concern for Adam and Penny. Adam had come in late the night before, so Hoss had not had a chance to talk to him.  
  
And Ben still couldn't figure out what was going on with Adam; he was still in his room, and he never slept this late. Ben had lost sight of him and Penny soon after they started dancing, and for the life of him he couldn't figure out what had happened to them.  
  
Joe finally took his wandering outside, coming back in soon afterwards to report that Adam's horse was not in the barn. Now Ben was really confused! He was actually glad that Penny was coming out today to stay; maybe that would perk everyone up, he hoped. But he had planned to ask Adam to pick her up, and now Adam had disappeared!  
The night before, Adam had taken Penny home without either of them going back inside the hall. Penny was worn out emotionally, and he wanted her to rest before they spent any more time talking. She had told him about the plan for her to move out to the ranch, so he knew he would have plenty of time later to be with her.  
  
Right now he was out gathering wildflowers to put in her room. He wanted to do it to make her happy, but it also gave him an excuse to get away from everyone, because the last thing he felt like doing was explaining things to his family about the previous evening.  
  
Now he understood why Penny had reacted to him the way she did, and he was searching his brain for the right way to prove to her that he was nothing like the man who had hurt her so badly. But how do you go about proving yourself, when the last man she loved had done all the right things, too. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Penny waited outside for Adam to pick her up. Or at least she HOPED it was Adam.  
  
Helen's parents had already left, as did Helen. Penny smiled at the memory of her best friend's parting. Helen had made Penny promise to watch over Joe and keep his spirits up, and then made Penny promise she would give Adam a chance. That's when Penny had divulged to Helen the talk she and Adam had the night before, excluding, of course, the information that Helen didn't even know of Penny's past boyfriend.  
  
Now Penny found herself waiting rather patiently for Adam to pick her up. Hearing an approaching buggy, she looked up expectantly, and put on her best smile. Slight disappointment showed when she saw Ben traveling in the buggy instead of Adam, but she chose to put on a good face, anyway.  
  
"Morning, Mr. Cartwright."  
  
"How many times must I remind you," Ben teased, "call me Ben, for goodness sakes!"  
  
"Alright, Ben," Penny smiled as she accepted his hand up to the buggy.  
  
Then commenced an uncomfortable silence between the two. Penny wanted to ask where Adam was, but didn't want Ben to know how she felt about his son. Ben, on the other hand, was wishing she DID bring up the topic of his eldest son! He could already picture the two of them together and desperately wanted to express this to either his son or Penny.  
  
Finally, Ben spoke, "Did you have a good time last night?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Mister---uh, Ben."  
  
Another few moments pause, and Ben interrogated further. "Did you and Adam have a good time dancing together?"  
  
Penny's eyes widened in surprise and rosy blush formed across her cheeks.  
  
"Yes," was her uninformative reply.  
  
Ben nodded slowly as he thought, Okay, so that's how it's gonna be...well, I can handle that. Can't really blame her for not wanting to talk about Adam with his father! Ben smiled sheepishly as he realized how direct his previous questions were, and decided he would wait if she would volunteer any information.  
  
She didn't, and the rest of the ride was silent except for the occasional comment from Penny about the beautiful scenery of the Ponderosa.  
  
Arriving at the ranch house, Ben got Penny's bags out of the buggy and they went inside. No one was in the Great Room, so Ben took her upstairs and showed her to her room.  
  
He got quite a surprise when he opened her bedroom door, for the room was filled with vases containing beautiful wildflowers!  
  
"How wonderful," gushed Penny upon seeing the flowers. "The colors are so beautiful, and the aroma so sweet. But you shouldn't have gone to all this trouble for me!"  
  
"I wish I could take credit for this, Penny," Ben said with a smile, having recovered and already guessing who had done this, "but I think you have one of my sons to thank for this! Now, I will leave you to your unpacking; come downstairs when you finish and we'll have tea. And be sure to let us know if there is anything you need," and Ben closed the door as he left.  
  
Adam? thought Penny, as she went over to smell some of the flowers. Did Ben mean that he had done this? How sweet! When she and Helen had last talked about Adam, Helen had kept assuring her that he was nothing like, well, like any man she had ever known, and that she could trust him with her very life! How badly she wanted to believe this, but caution still prevailed.  
When she started downstairs a little later, she heard voices and paused for a moment to distinguish who the voices belonged to. After deciding it was Ben and Hoss talking, she descended the rest of the stairs.  
  
Hoss was resting on the settee, while Ben was in his usual chair, with a china tea service sitting on the table in front of him.  
  
Penny took a seat in the blue velvet chair, and Ben passed her a cup of tea as Hoss said, "Good day, Miss Penny, it's sure nice to have you join us. I am really sick and tired of seeing no one but my family out here."  
  
"Well," Ben laughed, "Penny is certainly easier on the eyes than those brothers of yours!"  
  
Penny laughed too, and then asked nonchalantly, "Where are Joe and Adam; um...Helen asked me to keep an eye on Joe for her."  
  
"Oh," answered Hoss, "Joe is moping around here somewhere, and none of us have seen Adam today, although his horse has been in and out of the barn a couple of times. Beats me what he's up to," and Hoss gave Penny a questioning look. If Pa wasn't here, thought Hoss, I might be able ta find out what's going on, since Penny seems to be able to talk to me about things.  
  
"I'm sure everyone will be back here in time for supper," replied Ben. "Hop Sing is preparing something special, especially for you, Penny."  
  
Penny put down her teacup as she said, "That makes me feel very special, Ben, and I will make sure Hop Sing knows that." Then after a slight pause, she added, "I was wondering if it would be alright if I took a short walk, and maybe looked at the horses in the barn. It's such a beautiful day, I hate to be inside, even though I do enjoy the pleasure of your company!"  
  
"Aw, shucks, ma'am," answered Hoss, "you don't need to be stuck indoors with the likes of us!"  
  
And to his surprise, Penny walked over to Hoss and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You are so sweet, Hoss, and I am looking forward to spending a lot of time with you while I'm here."  
  
Hoss just blushed and smiled at her, and Ben got up to escort her out the door.  
After walking around for a bit, Penny went into the barn. There were four horses inside. She recognized Joe's horse from the night before, and thought that she remembered his name was Cochise, and she went over and stroked his mane. She didn't know who the other horses belonged to, but she couldn't get over how beautiful they were!  
  
She was especially drawn to the horse in the corner stall, smaller than the other horses, and a beautiful chestnut color with some white on the face. Penny picked up a brush and began stroking the animal with it, and it nuzzled her hand as if to thank her.  
  
"She's yours, you know, for as long as you want her," a voice said behind Penny, and she immediately recognized it as Adam's. "Her name is Beauty."  
  
Penny whirled around bashfully to face Adam.  
  
"I couldn't possibly take a horse from your family---"  
  
"Nonsense," Adam replied, waving his hand in dismissal. "I'm sure Beauty would appreciate you riding her for a change. Besides, she's my horse and I would be glad to let you have her." Adam sauntered forward as he spoke, maintaining a respectful distance all the while.  
  
Once again, Penny declined the offer. "I can't take your horse, Adam, but I wouldn't mind if I could borrow a different one sometime so we could go riding together."  
  
Penny bit her lip in apprehension the moment the words escaped her mouth. What hold did this man have on her to make her fall for him every time they met? She attempted to recover.  
  
"Well, or I could go riding with anyone, or...or not at all, I mean..."  
  
She looked up at him with desperate eyes, and it was all Adam could do but laugh good-naturedly. He stifled the chuckle he felt rising within and replied, "Well, I don't know about the rest of my family, but I would be honored to go on a ride with you, maybe show you some more of the Ponderosa, if you're up for it."  
  
"Of course I'm up for it, Adam!"  
  
Adam grinned at her in a gentle admiration.  
  
"One thing though," Penny added thoughtfully, "Did you, um.I know this is a silly thing to ask, but did you."  
  
"Put flowers in your room?" Adam asked slyly.  
  
Penny nodded.  
  
"Yes. I just wanted to make you feel more at home."  
  
"No one at home would ever put flowers in my room," Penny objected.  
  
"Well, this is going to be your home for a little while, so let's just say that at this home someone would."  
  
Penny smiled and then walked over to Adam's side, hesitantly placing her hand on his arm. "Thank you," she said simply, but her eyes conveyed so much more to Adam than those two words ever would. Penny quickly removed her hand, and turned around to continue brushing beauty's sleek coat.  
  
"I'll be around if you need me," Adam replied, than made his reluctant exit.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe, meanwhile, had walked out to a spot not far from the ranch house. Absent-mindedly playing with a twig in his hands, he prayed a silent prayer for Helen's safe a speedy return.  
  
Then he tried to think of how he was going to be able to pass the time until her return. It would be nice to take a short trip somewhere, but there was just too much work to be done on the ranch this time of year for Pa to let him have any time off.  
  
Penny would be coming to stay there, he remembered, and that was a welcome thought. She could tell him what Helen was like when she lived in Boston, and Joe would have someone he felt comfortable talking with about his love for Helen.  
  
As Joe's mind continued to churn, he was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the two cowboys slowly making their way towards him. They looked like they had been traveling for days, for both the men and their horses were covered with thick dust, and the beards of the men were several days old. One appeared to be about 30 years old, the other maybe 25.  
  
As Joe finally realized that someone was approaching, he stood up and called out, "Howdy, strangers! Can I help you with something?"  
  
"Sure can," said the older man, "we're looking for the Ponderosa."  
  
"Well," said Joe, "you've found it. In fact you've been on it for quite some time now. My name's Joe Cartwright."  
  
"Ben Johnson," replied the older man again. "And this here is my brother Judd," and he nodded towards the man beside him.  
  
"We heard that you might be doin' some hiring, particularly needing bronco busters. We could sure use the jobs, if you have them."  
  
"Well, now," answered Joe, "you just might be in luck. My Pa is up at the house right now, so if you'll just follow me, you can talk to him about it."  
  
The two men dismounted and began to follow Joe. As they passed the barn, Adam came out and looked them over. Probably new hands, he thought to himself; we can use all the help we can get.  
  
But as he continued to watch them, he had the feeling that he had seen them somewhere before, or at least one of them, but he couldn't place where it might have been. Shrugging, he began to walk in the opposite direction. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben and Judd Johnson eyed Adam warily as he walked past, hoping their beards and ample time would shield their identity. It must have worked, because Adam just smiled amiably at them and walked past.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile, in town, a girl dressed herself up, becoming all frilly and 'dappered up'. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror and got on her buggy to ride out to the Cartwright ranch. A quick assessment of the area showed that no one saw her leave, and she smiled at her own stealth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Penny saw that Beauty seemed to be carrying a limp. In concern she ran to locate Adam. It took her a considerably long time to locate him. No one could figure out where he had gone, so she determined to wait on the porch for him. In what seemed like an eternity, Adam moseyed along the walkway toward the front of the ranch house. At the same instance, a buggy pulled up to the front of the ranch house.  
  
Penny stood to greet Adam, but as she did, her skirt snagged and she tripped, falling into his waiting grasp.  
  
The figure on the buggy, none other than Sara-Lee Bell, jumped off the buggy at finding Adam, a man she loved, holding tightly to another woman.  
  
"I'm gonna get you for this," Sara Bell yelled, and she ran to clutch at Penny's dark, flowing hair.  
  
"You jerk," Sara added, dragging Penny into the dirt with her.  
  
Penny didn't know what had hit her, literally! As she landed on the ground, all she could see were frills, ribbons and bows flying at her, and she instinctively began to defend herself, kicking and clawing at whatever it was that had just landed on top of her.  
  
At the same time that Sara Bell attacked Penny, she also shoved Adam in the opposite direction, sending him backward over the porch railing and into the dirt, knocking the breath out of him and causing him to hit his head on something.  
  
Fortunately, all of the commotion caused Joe to come running around the side of the house, his gun drawn. The sight that greeted him was astonishing! Sara Bell and Penny had rolled into a mud puddle and were jerking each other's hair, their dresses tearing as they shrieked at one another.  
  
And Adam was on the ground, holding his head and struggling to regain his footing!  
  
If Sara Bell had been in a scuffle with Adam, Joe would have simply busted a gut laughing. But with Penny it was no laughing matter, since she was an innocent by-stander in all this, so he determined to rescue her. Grabbing Sara Bell around the waist from behind, and lifting her up in the air, he swung her around. But with her long arms and legs flailing in the wind, Joe lost his balance and ended up splashing into a watering trough, taking Sara Bell with him!  
  
By this time, all the noise had reached Ben and Hoss' ears, and Ben ran, while Hoss hobbled, out of the house to see what was happening. When he got there, though, Ben's eyes almost popped out of his head at the sight that confronted him!  
  
There, before him, was his eldest son, trying to drag himself up off the ground using a porch railing, looking for all the world like someone who had not been able to hold his liquor!  
  
And then there was his youngest son, trying to keep his head above water as he splashed around in the horse's trough with, of all people, Sara-Lee Bell Crawford!  
  
But worst of all was the sight of Penny, their guest at the Ponderosa, now standing on the ground, with her long hair flying every which way, covered in mud and her dress torn in several places, looking just like she had been attacked by a wild animal (which, of course, she had been)!  
  
When Penny spotted Ben, anger shot out of her eyes, and she yelled, "Is everyone on this ranch INSANE?!?!?!?!" And she ran into the house, knocking poor Hoss over in the process, flew up the stairs, and locked herself in her room!  
  
Ben quickly helped up Hoss, who was rolling like a turtle on his back, not able to help himself stand due to his injuries.  
  
Adam had finally regained his footing again, and looked over, at the same moment as Hoss and Ben, to see Sara Bell angrily holding a drowning Joseph under the water!  
  
Bubbles sputtered up from where Joe's head was, and Adam was the first to Joe's rescue. He pulled Sara Bell out from the water, pinning her arms behind her while Ben yanked Joseph up from the trough.  
  
Joe was sputtering water, but otherwise none the worse for the wear. Sara Bell ripped herself from Adam's grasp and slapped him across the face.  
  
"I truly loved you, Adam Cartwright! You treat me like dirt!" Spinning around, she then spotted Hoss, wobbly on his feet. She slapped him, too. Her southern drawl evident, she yelled, "I loved you, too, Hoss Cartwright! Your whole family is bad news!"  
  
Joe was back on solid ground, but to emphasize this last statement, Sara Bell shoved him back into the trough. He looked up in shock.  
  
"What did I do?" Joe asked innocently.  
  
Sara Bell's jaw locked and eyes shone with intensity as she walked, swift and cat-like, toward Joe.  
  
"You." she hissed. "You kept me from beating that.that.HUSSY who stole away my Adam!"  
  
Joe shielded himself from the angry girl, sure she would strike, but she didn't. He moved his defensive arm to find her eyes watering, about to flood forth a river of tears. He lowered his arm as the girl sobbed, falling to the earth beneath her.  
  
Joe, at a loss for anything better, attempted to help her up, but she wouldn't accept, choosing to slap his hand away and cry all the louder.  
  
Ben Johnson, who had been watching the entire drama unfold with his brother, ran to Sara Bell and rushed to help her up. She looked gratefully into his gaze as she accepted his offer.  
  
"I'm Ben Johnson," he greeted her, ".but please call me BJ."  
  
Sara-Lee Bell turned a crimson glow and replied, extending a limp hand, "I'm Sara Bell."  
  
The four Cartwrights and Judd all watched in stunned amazement as BJ first helped her into her buggy, then rode off the Ponderosa with the disheveled girl. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For the rest of the afternoon, none of the Cartwrights dared to go near Penny's room. No sounds came from the room, so at least they were satisfied that Penny was not in there crying or breaking things!  
  
Nearing suppertime, Adam and Joe, having cleaned up from their afternoon adventure, joined Ben and Hoss downstairs and discussed who would be the best one to check on Penny. They decided that it should be Joe, since he was close to Helen, and, after all, he was the one who had rescued Penny earlier in the day.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Joe went back upstairs, and was pleasantly surprised to find a cool, calm and collected Penny, looking just as beautiful as usual.  
  
"Are you alright?" Joe questioned her.  
  
"I'm fine, Joe, thank you," she replied quietly.  
  
"About this afternoon..." Joe began, but Penny stopped him by putting her finger to his lips.  
  
"No, Joe," she said. "What happened today obviously had to do with Adam, so he should be the one to explain."  
  
"That suits me fine," laughed Joe. "Now, may I escort you to supper?"  
  
The meal was delicious, as Hop Sing had planned, and Joe and Hoss kept Penny entertained with stories of some of their exploits, both on and off the ranch. Adam would add bits and pieces to their stories, but for the most part he remained quiet, enjoying watching Penny's delight at his brothers' antics!  
  
Wanting the evening to continue on a light note, Ben suggested that Adam play his guitar and sing, so they all adjourned to the area near the fireplace.  
  
By the end of the evening, seeing that Penny was looking relaxed, Adam dared to ask her if she would like to go riding with him the next afternoon and, to his delight, she said yes!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next day, right after lunch, Adam had Sport and Beauty saddled and ready to go. Having explained to Penny that Beauty was his only in the sense that he had trained her, Penny graciously accepted his offer to ride her.  
  
It was a wonderful day for riding, and Penny enjoyed the wind in her face and hair, the beautiful scenery, and Adam's company. After riding for some time, they stopped at a lake, where they dismounted and found a comfortable place to sit.  
  
After chatting for a few minutes, Penny finally said with a twinkle in her eyes, "I am waiting for an explanation, Adam."  
  
Feigning ignorance, Adam innocently asked, "An explanation of what?"  
  
"Of what happened to me yesterday afternoon."  
  
"Oh, that," Adam answered lightly, feeling comfortable enough to joke about it. "I did want to apologize to you about that. The 'tornado' you encountered is named Sara Bell, and she has recently convinced herself that she is in love with me. Before that, she was in love with Hoss. Next week, it will probably be Joe!" and they both laughed.  
  
"Well," said Penny, "I had finally decided that you and your brothers and father were not to blame, but I did wonder how many more women I would have to fight in order to get your attention."  
  
Taking her hand, Adam answered solemnly, "I can assure you that my full attention already belongs to you." and he kissed the back of her hand.  
  
But unbeknownst to the young couple, they were not alone.  
  
Judd Johnson had spotted the two as he rode around the Ponderosa that day. Although he was not interested in what they were doing there, he definitely did not want to run into Adam, nor let Adam see him checking out the lay of the land.  
  
There would be plenty of time to deal with Adam later!  
  
From his hiding spot in the bushes, Judd heard a hoarse whisper behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, hand ready on his gun just in case. He relaxed, however, at seeing his brother behind him.  
  
BJ snuck over to Judd and reported his news to him. "I got that Sara gal practically eatin' outa my hand! Told me most everythin' she knows 'bout the Cartwrights."  
  
"Good," Judd replied. "But make sure you don't come up behind me like that again. Next time I might just shoot you 'cause you scared me."  
  
BJ gave Judd a sour look before returning his gaze to the lounging couple.  
  
"What're we gonna do 'bout them two," BJ inquired.  
  
Judd smiled a huge, hideous grin, bit off a chunk of tobacco retrieved from his pocket which turned his teeth an appalling shade of black, before choosing to answer.  
  
"Well," Judd drawled slowly, "I've really taken a likin' to that thar Penny girl. Seems a right shame to leave her with a dead boyfriend, so I might jus' have ta be thar to comfort her...in more ways than she'll wonna be comforted, I'm sure."  
  
BJ shook his head. He felt an undefined sense of unemotional love toward his brother, but was always disgusted with his sense toward "women folk". He wasn't about to protest, however, because his brother was older than him, and BJ respected that age with unflinching loyalty.  
  
The sounds of Adam and Penny's laughter drifted over to them, and BJ took the wad of the tobacco away from his brother and pulled off a part of it for himself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam and Penny returned to the ranch house just in time for supper. Afterwards, they decided to take a short walk, while the others turned in early.  
  
As they walked slowly down the road, hand in hand, they were quiet for a while with their own private thoughts. Finally, though, Adam turned to Penny and, taking her other hand in his also, said, "I hope you are beginning to believe that you can trust me, in all areas of your life."  
  
"I am," she answered shyly, "I guess I have really trusted you from the very beginning or I never would have shared all that pain from my past with you. I was just instinctively fighting against that trust."  
  
"That's understandable," Adam replied. "After all, I was a stranger, and it hasn't been that long since you were hurt so badly."  
  
"Yes," agreed Penny, "but now I realize that even from the start I had some apprehension about the man that I eventually became engaged to. I never had that feeling about you."  
  
"I'm glad," Adam replied, as he gave her a kiss on the forehead, and hugged her close to him for a few minutes.  
  
Starting back to the house, Penny said, "You should get to bed soon, too, with the busy day you have ahead of you. I'm really looking forward to seeing the bronco busting!"  
  
"Yes, it will be busy," Adam replied. "I just hope those two new hands are as good as they told my father they are."  
  
"New hands?" Penny questioned.  
  
"Yes," Adam answered. "They were just hired yesterday, and claim they have a lot of experience in taming wild horses. I guess we will find out soon if they can live up to their claims!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning Penny rode out with Joe to the corral where the new horses were being held. Adam had gone out earlier to supervise things.  
  
Upon arriving, Penny carefully climbed the rails in order to sit on the top one for a good view. She spotted Adam across the way, in the area where the men would mount the horses. She wondered if he would be the first one to ride. She was excited about seeing that, but a bit nervous, too.  
  
Penny was amazed at how beautiful the animals were, and how spirited. She had learned to ride back in Boston, but there were no wild horses there. She actually hated the thought of those proud spirits having to be broken, but understood the necessity of it.  
  
There were many men working to get things ready, and Penny wondered which ones were the two new men. She would probably figure it out when the riding began. Joe, after making sure Penny was settled in to watch, joined Adam with all the ranch hands.  
  
"Adam," he called to his brother, "who's gonna be ridin' first?"  
  
Adam scanned the group of men, and pointed over at the Johnson brothers.  
  
"Well, Judd wanted to prove what he could do, so he's going to be the first up. Then I'll go, and then his brother, BJ."  
  
Joe nodded approval, then questioned, "Why don't we get some of the other men to work in the barn until the three of you ride."  
  
"Okay," Adam gave his consent.  
  
BJ and Judd smiled as these orders were spread about the men. This would make their plan even more effective.  
  
After the majority of the ranch hands had left, Joe, Adam, and BJ all held the feisty mare steady, so Judd could get onto it. As soon as he was on, Joe released the stabled door, and the horse took off running. Judd stayed on fairly well, only slipping from the saddle once or twice.  
  
Penny watched in awe. She had heard tales of things like this in Boston, but never had she seen it before!  
  
Then it was Adam's turn. His ride went without incident, and Penny felt pride well up within her at the sight of Adam on the horse's back.  
  
Soon a wild-eyed stallion was brought in place for BJ. By now, the only people left around the corral were Penny, Joe, Adam, and the two Johnsons. Judd made a slight motion at BJ, undetectable by any of the others present. BJ nodded in understanding, and got onto the back of the stallion. The gate was opened, and BJ and the black pinto were flashing around the stable. The horse nickered and thrashed, trying to remove the hated weight from his back. BJ stayed on like a true professional, although his body was thrown around like a rag doll. After several long minutes, the horse began to spend all of his energy and slow down. As it did so, BJ called out in fear for some unknown reason. Adam and Joe ran to the spot where BJ was on the panting horse. They were unaware that Judd stayed behind.  
  
The moment they reached they reached BJ, Judd pulled a small gun from his breast pocket, and pulled the trigger. The shot spooked the horse, which kicked about, snorting and standing on its hind legs, waving its hooves in the air angrily. While it did this, it kicked both Adam and Joe several times, once even landing on top of the youngest Cartwright, grinding its hooves deep into his abdomen.  
  
Penny yelled out in horror, and Judd quickly ran to her side, gagging her by putting his hand over her mouth.  
  
"Grab Adam," he yelled to his brother. BJ jumped off the bucking horse, leaving the frightened animal to its own devices. He bent down and dragged the unconscious Adam away from the corral. Judd dragged a fighting Penny with him, and the brothers, each with their own captive, stole away in a previously hidden buggy.leaving Joe behind in a puddle of his own blood. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Even though Adam was in charge of the crew who were breaking the horses, Ben decided to go see how things were coming along, and offered to take Hoss with him in the wagon.  
  
As they approached the corral, both men were surprised to see it almost deserted, except for the horses and two of their ranch hands. As they pulled up beside the fence, Ben's heart skipped a beat at the sight of what the cowboys were looking at, a man lying face down in the dirt.  
  
Handing Hoss the reigns, Ben jumped down from the wagon and ran to where the lifeless figure lay, with blood all around him. As Ben turned the figure over, he gasped to see that it was Joe!  
  
"WHAT HAPPENED?" roared Ben, as he bent down to see if his son was even still alive; thankfully, he did find a pulse, albeit very weak.  
  
"It all happened so fast," one of the ranch hands answered. "Those two new men deliberately spooked a horse, causing it to trample Joe and knock out Adam. Then they grabbed the girl and put her and Adam in a buggy, and took off!"  
  
"Well, they couldn't have gone far in a buggy," replied Ben as he lifted Joe into his arms. "Sam, help me get Joe into the wagon and both of you help Hoss get him into town. I'll take a horse and go after them. Which way did they go?"  
  
"West," the men answered.  
  
Satisfied that he had done all he could for Joe, Ben gave him over into Hoss' care, took the fastest horse he could find, and headed out to track down the Johnson brothers.  
  
In the meantime, Judd and BJ had abandoned the buggy for four horses they had left hidden in the nearby hills. Adam was slung across a saddle, feet and hands tied in case he woke up. But Penny was riding upright on another horse, mouth gagged and hands tied, with fire still shooting out of her eyes!  
  
They made their way as quickly as possible through a thick growth of pine trees, hoping to hide their tracks, then they turned southwest, towards the mountains.  
  
"I can't believe how easy that was," laughed BJ as they urged the horses into a gallop. "Jus' like takin' candy from a baby!"  
  
"Don't get cocky yet," warned Judd. "We still have a long ways to go."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As they neared Virginia City, Hoss was becoming increasingly concerned about his brother's condition. Joe's breathing was shallow, his skin pale, cold and clammy. Hoss had put a blanket over him, but knew nothing else to do for him, except pray.  
  
As the wagon came to a halt in front of the doctor's office, Sam jumped out of the wagon to alert the doctor, while the other cowboy ran to the sheriff's office. Dr. Martin came out immediately to check on Joe before anyone moved him.  
  
"It's bad, ain't it, Doc?", Hoss asked worriedly.  
  
"Real bad, Hoss," the doctor answered honestly. "Let's get him inside."  
  
After another quick examination in the office, the doctor turned to Hoss. "I won't give you false hope, Hoss. Joe has lost a lot of blood. He's weak and in shock, but I need to operate to try to repair the damage. With or without an operation, his chances of making it are slim. What do you want me to do?"  
  
"Operate," said Hoss without hesitation.  
  
PART 3  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam awoke to find himself tied and slung to the back of a horse. He ached all over, and fear gripped him as he remembered seeing Joe getting smashed beneath the horse's powerful hooves. He became angry at the Anderson brothers for wanting to hurt either him or his brother.  
  
With a start, his mind remembered Penny. Where was she? He glanced around furtively and strained his neck to see the girl tied to a horse ahead of him. So, he pieced the puzzle together, they took Penny, too. His anger morphed into hatred, and he vowed that if they killed Joe or even laid a fingertip on Penny, he would be sure they would go to jail and be hung for their crime. He knew he had a bad feeling about these two the moment he had seen them. He had thought he had known them somehow, but from where?  
  
His mind snapped into place as he recalled an event that had taken place several years earlier. Vividly the scene between him and the oldest brother, then known to him as Eddie Frenstein, and the much younger Cooper "BJ" Frenstein, returned to him. How could he have forgotten? Adam had marred their attempt to rob a bank over in California. Both brothers had gone to jail and were sentenced to life in prison after nearly killing one of the bank tellers. Adam figured that they must have broken out some how. But why were they now at the Ponderosa? Was this a sick form of their revenge? Or did they want some ransom money? Adam's ability to think was being messed up by the fact that blood was rushing to his head due to his current position on the horse.  
  
He had to get himself and Penny away from these convicts!  
  
They made their way off the trail into a denser part of the forest. Adam knew by the terrain that they were heading into the mountains. He hoped someone would find them before they reached the rocky bluffs that were sure to conceal their tracks.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben studied the tracks created by a buggy going at high-speed, but stopped to examine a spot that looked as if the buggy had been driven off the road. He urged his horse to a gully nearby and frowned at the sight of the broken and abandoned buggy lying on its side. He got off the horse's back and half- slid to the broken wagon. No one was inside. He wasn't sure if he should be grateful or more concerned.  
  
Scanning the area, he thought he saw a hedge of bushes seemingly trampled nearby. He walked over to investigate more closely.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Doc Martin hurriedly washed his hands and began to start the operation. Joe was lost to the world, and therefore felt no pain as the doctor plunged a knife into his abdomen.  
  
Outside the surgery room, however, Hoss wished he could take any of his brother's pain upon himself. He squeezed his eyes shut and began to pray for the safety of his family and Penny. Hoss tried not to look at the clock on the doctor's wall, for he knew that with each passing minute of surgery, Joe's chances of surviving it were slipping away. After what seemed like an eternity, the door Hoss was staring at opened and the doctor stepped out.  
  
"The operation's over with," the doctor explained to Hoss, "and Joe is still with us. I had to remove his spleen and do a lot of patching up. The next 24 hours will be critical to his survival."  
  
"Can I see him, Doc," Hoss asked, relief sounding in his voice.  
  
"Of course," replied Dr. Martin. And as he led Hoss into the other room, he asked, "Did you speak to Sheriff Coffee?"  
  
"Yes," answered Hoss. "He's getting up a posse to go help my Pa."  
  
As Hoss stepped over beside Joe's bedside, he was amazed at how small and helpless his brother looked, and he would have given anything to trade places with him. But at least he was still alive!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A plan was beginning to take shape in Adam's mind. As long as the horses were moving at a gallop, there was nothing he could do, but if they stopped, or even slowed down, he might have a chance to try something; even if he couldn't get away, it might give Penny a chance to do so.  
  
Eventually the horses did slow down, and Adam could hear the two men talking about a campsite for the night. As they finally halted, Adam waited a few seconds, then moved enough so that his body slid off the saddle and onto the ground. He stayed silent, however, and kept his eyes closed.  
  
"Well, will ya look at that," sneered Judd, addressing Penny as he roughly pulled her from her horse. "That boyfriend of yours can't even sit a proper saddle." Letting go of Penny, he walked over and squatted down beside Adam.  
  
Before he knew what was happening, Adam rose up and put his tied hands around the back of Judd's neck, pulling up on Judd's neck and head and throwing him over his own head by pushing him up with his knees, as he yelled for Penny to run. But instead of making a getaway, Penny came running over and began beating on Judd with her tied hands. By that time BJ had come back from the area he had been scouting, and he grabbed Penny from behind, putting a knife at her throat.  
  
"Why, you..." Judd began, as he clutched his neck and picked himself up off the ground, and he began kicking Adam over and over again in the ribs and stomach. After that, he turned on Penny.  
  
"As for you, little girl, I have big plans for us," he said as he jerked the gag off her mouth and planted a big, slobbery kiss on her lips. As he let go and stepped backwards, Penny spit in his face. With that, Judd slapped her hard on the cheek with the back of one hand, and then did the same on the other cheek, knocking her to the ground.  
  
As she lay there, apparently unconscious, BJ said to Judd, "That's enough for now. Help me set up the camp," and Judd, having tired of his prisoners momentarily, complied with his brother's request.  
  
Adam couldn't believe what had transpired. Why hadn't Penny at least tried to get away? He was extremely worried about her, for he had never seen a man hit a woman as hard as Judd had hit her.  
  
But soon she opened her eyes, and although he saw tears in them, he could tell by their shine that she had never lost consciousness. Relieved, he slowly and carefully moved his painful body closer to her, until their hands could touch.  
  
"Penny," he whispered. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes," she whispered back, although he had trouble believing her. "How are you?"  
  
"I will be fine as soon as I get you out of here. Why didn't you run when I told you to," he asked.  
  
"I couldn't just leave you here to die," came her answer, and Adam felt his heart filling up with love for this dear, brave girl.  
  
"See if you can work on these ropes," was all he said, though, as he placed his hands above hers, and she began to pick at the knot with her nails.  
  
After much time and effort, Penny managed to free Adam's hands. Fortunately, the brothers were busy eating, and totally ignoring Adam and Penny. Once his hands were free, Adam was quick to untie Penny's hands, and then untied his own feet.  
  
Darkness had come over them, so he took Penny's hand, quietly helping her to get up while ignoring the pain in his chest, and they quickly slipped into the woods. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben found the horse tracks leading to a dense portion of the woods, but by now it was too dark to decipher much more than that. He wouldn't give up, though. He got off of his horse's back and walked through the heavy underbrush. Sure, he may not be able to tell where footprints led to, but he could scour the area for any signs of Adam and Penny's survival.  
  
He had just about given up when he heard a crackling in the bushes several yards away. He whistled out like a bird, a signal him and his sons had decided upon long ago.  
  
Ben held his breath, hoping for a reply. He broke out into a grin upon hearing it.  
  
"Adam," Ben called out.  
  
"Over here, Pa."  
  
Ben rushed to greet the voice, and was elated to find Penny and Adam crouched in the tangled and wild underbrush together.  
  
"Oh, son," Ben gripped Adam tightly, then pulled away. "I was so worried about you!" He then turned his attention to Penny.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"I've been better, but I'll be okay, thank you."  
  
"Pa, we'd best hurry. I dunno if the men who captured us know we're gone yet."  
  
Ben frowned and glanced over at the waiting horse, trying to formulate a plan.  
  
"Adam, you take Penny back to the house. I'll wait in hiding back here. Return with another horse as soon as you can. Whistle for me. I might start walking back on foot if need be."  
  
"Pa, I." Adam began to object.  
  
"No arguments, son, now go," Ben declared as he pulled his pistol from its holster in case he needed to protect himself from his son's attackers.  
  
Adam nodded and grabbed Penny's hand. Together they stole away towards the horse.  
  
Adam and Penny didn't talk much as they rode out of the woods toward the Ponderosa; there would be time enough later for talking about what had happened to them that day. Penny realized that Adam probably had some broken ribs, at the very least, so she did her best to hold on to him from behind without hurting him. Her head hurt, and her cheeks burned and were already feeling sore, but she knew that Adam had suffered much more physically than she had.  
  
And poor Joe! She and Adam had spoken briefly about him after they had made their escape from the Johnson brothers, but of course neither knew what condition he was in, except later Ben had been able to tell him that Joe was alive when he last saw him.  
  
About halfway back to the ranch, the couple came upon Sheriff Coffee and his posse. Roy was thankful that Adam and Penny were safe, and it was arranged that Adam would travel back with them to the spot where he had left Ben, while Penny went back with one of the deputies.  
  
Learning that Joe was in surgery when the posse left town, Penny insisted on being taken to him. Although Adam would have liked to have gone himself, he knew he couldn't, and actually wanted Penny to go back home and rest. But she insisted, pointing out that not only could she be there for Joe and Hoss, she could also let the doctor take a look at her, and Adam couldn't argue with that logic, which is why she had used it!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By now, the surgery had been over for several hours, but Joe had shown no signs of coming around or any improvement in his condition. The doctor checked on him periodically, and tried to get Hoss to lay down for awhile since he was still in recovery from injuries, but Hoss refused to leave Joe's side.  
  
Sitting beside the bed, Hoss often spoke to Joe, letting him know he was there, and encouraging Joe to fight for his life.  
  
Hoss was so intent on Joe, he didn't hear the door open behind him, or the soft footsteps that followed, but he did feel the care that was in the hug he received from behind. Turning around, he was shocked to see that it was Penny!  
  
"Penny," he said quietly as he pushed himself out of the chair and returned her hug. "Thank God you are alright! Where are Adam and Pa?" With it being almost dark in the room Hoss could not see the bruises on Penny's face and wrists, and she was thankful for that, because she didn't want Hoss worrying about her.  
  
"They are with Sheriff Coffee and the other men," she answered, not telling Hoss that they had left his father alone back there. "They are trying to find the men who hurt Joe and took me and Adam hostage before they do any more harm."  
  
"Well, I shore am glad that you're here. I've been talking to Joe, but not getting any response. Maybe what he needs to hear is a woman's voice!" Hoss said, with a bit of a smile.  
  
"The doctor told me about the surgery and about how Joe is doing," answered Penny. "I am here to do anything I can to help, but only if you will go and get some rest, and something to eat."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," said Hoss. "Pa always told me never to argue with a female, and, besides, I know Joe is in good hands with you here," and with that he left the room.  
  
Penny then sat on Joe's bedside, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it to let him know someone was there. "Joseph Cartwright," she then said in a stern voice, "you need to come back to us. You have a father that loves you more than life itself, two brothers who would be lost without you, and many, many friends who need you also. You can do it, Joe; I know you can!"  
  
And tears began to stream down her face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Far away, on a train headed for Boston, Helen held the wooden box given to her by Joseph Cartwright. She was almost at her destination, but something in the pit of her stomach made her feel sick all over. She clutched the box to her heart and prayed for Joe; her Joe.  
  
She retrieved a piece of paper from her satchel and began to pour her heart out onto the paper. She wrote, despite the bumpiness of the train on the tracks, for several hours...until the train finally pulled into Boston's depot. She had included her fears, troubles, joys, and loves into the letter. Helen scanned it over before folding it up and putting it into her wooden 'Joe-Box' with all of her other letters addressed to her sweetheart in Nevada.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Joe's mind struggled to comprehend where he was, but it was too much effort. With all his youth and energy, he couldn't bring himself to move. His eased back into a restless and painful sleep, but not before he uttered one word audible enough for the crying Penny to hear.  
  
"Helen..."  
  
Penny looked up, startled at the sound of the weakened man.  
  
"Joe," she asked. "Can you hear me?"  
  
It appeared as if Joe hadn't even moved, but Penny was sure she had heard him call out her best friend's name. She sat back in her uncomfortable, hard-backed chair and wiped the tears off her bruised face. She knew in her heart that Joe would be okay.  
  
So, with the remembrance that Helen had asked her to watch over Joe, Penny gently kissed Joe atop his forehead and continued to hold his hand, telling him of all the good times with Helen he had to look forward to once he woke up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben had doubled back, trying to find the spot where the new ranch hands gone bad were camping. He had never been as appalled as when he saw his youngest son sprawled in puddle of his own blood.  
  
Although he was one to always hope for the best, Ben had an overwhelming sense of foreboding concerning Joe's life. After working with horses for so many years, Ben was sure that no man could have survived Joe's ordeal. He knew he should be there for his son during his last hours, but the anger at the men who had done this was too much.  
  
So now Ben set out to invade their camp, install the fear of God himself in them, and make them terribly sorry for what they had done.  
  
Ben had never been so angry in all his living days.  
  
As he neared the area where Judd and BJ had made camp, Ben could hear angry voices shouting, and realized that the men had finally discovered that Adam and Penny were missing. Ben figured that they would soon be coming into the woods to search for their lost captives, and more than likely they would split up in their search. This would then give him the chance to take them one at a time.  
  
Hiding behind some trees, Ben waited. It wasn't long before his theory proved true, as BJ Johnson came stalking through the underbrush, gun at the ready. Ben wasted no time in stepping out behind him and knocking him unconscious with the butt of his gun. Ben then dragged BJ back to one of the trees and tied him to it with some rope he had thought to keep with him. He gagged the man with his bandana, and then moved closer to the camp to watch for Judd.  
  
As Ben stood behind some tall bushes where he had a good view of the campfire the 2 men had built, he knew he was actually angry enough to kill them for what they had done to his sons, but he refused to let his desire for revenge rule his sense of right and wrong. These men would pay for their crimes, he thought, but in a courtroom with a judge and jury, not by my hand, if possible.  
  
Just then Ben felt the cold, hard barrel of a gun stick in his back, and a menacing voice said, "Drop your gun, Cartwright, and put your hands in the air!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Joe watched in amusement, Helen half skipped, half danced in front of him, urging him to come with her. He moved forward, only to find that Helen had moved out-of-reach again.  
  
So he continued to go after her, taking a few steps at a time, and, each time, finding her outside his grasp. But finally she came to a halt and he was able to grab her hand and...  
  
Joe slowly opened his eyes, trying to figure out where he was and what he was doing there. The room was not familiar to him. He tried to move his body, but a rush of pain caused him to stop. As his eyes moved around the room, he spotted a young woman, asleep in a chair. Helen!, he thought, but then realized that it couldn't be her.  
  
Without knowing it, however, Helen's name had actually escaped Joe's lips, waking the sleeping Penny. She quickly moved to his side and said enthusiastically, "Joe! You're awake! How do you feel?"  
  
"Like a herd of Buffalo ran over me," he replied quietly, finding it difficult to speak.  
  
"More like a spooked, wild horse," Penny said laughingly, as she brushed some hair off of Joe's forehead. "Don't try to talk anymore; just rest and I will be right back." And she ran to the door of the room, calling for Hoss and Dr. Martin.  
  
"Doc Martin," Penny yelled. "Hoss!"  
  
Hoss ran from the next room, Doc Martin in tow.  
  
"What's wrong, Penny," Hoss inquired, worry taking its toll on his features.  
  
"Nothing, Hoss. Joe's awake!"  
  
Hoss' face opened into a hearty grin and he rushed into his brother's temporary room.  
  
"Joe! How are you?"  
  
Joe focused on Hoss' face and then tried to smile. "Mornin', Hoss," he stated weakly.  
  
"It's not mornin' yet, little brother, but good mornin' to ya anyhow!"  
  
The doctor scooted over to Joe's bedside and checked on the man's health while the brothers conversed.  
  
"Where's Adam? And...and Pa?"  
  
"Don't worry, Little Joe. They should be here soon enough."  
  
"Is Adam okay? The horse got him, too, ya know."  
  
"Yeah, he's fine. Fact is, he's trackin' down those two scoundrel Johnson brothers as we speak." Hoss purposely neglected to tell about Adam and Penny's abduction.  
  
Joe nodded in understanding, but it was growing increasingly difficult for him to keep his eyes opened. So, instead, he fell asleep in front of a captive audience.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Adam, along with the sheriff and several other men, traveled through the woods in search of Ben Cartwright. He whistled a signal to alert his father of their presence, but got nothing in return. They were venturing beyond the spot where his father had been left, and Adam began to fret over Ben's whereabouts.  
  
As they neared the spot where "the Johnsons" were camped, Adam whispered this information to Sheriff Roy Coffee, and all the men dismounted from their animals and began to stalk through the woods together.  
  
As they got closer, they could begin to distinguish a conversation between two men.  
  
"You better tell me where my brother is, Cartwright!"  
  
A response, more a growl than a word, "No."  
  
SLAP!  
  
"One more chance, Cartwright. That's all you're getting. I'm gonna turn around and count to twenty. When I finish, you can either tell me where he is, or I'll have to kill you. One...Two..." "If you kill me now, you'll never see your brother alive again," came Ben's strong voice. "But as long as I'm alive, you have a chance of swapping me for him!"  
  
As he listened, Adam realized his father was just buying time, but he did wonder what had become of BJ.  
  
Sheriff Coffee gave signals to the other men, indicating that they should spread out to surround the camp. The sheriff stayed with Adam, and they slowly approached the camp, guns at the ready.  
  
Instead of just hearing what was going on, they now could see Ben, sitting on a log, with Judd looming over him, his gun up against Ben's head!  
  
Adam slipped under the limbs of a nearby tree, attempting to make his way to a spot behind Judd, as Ben continued to occupy Judd's attention.  
  
"My son has your brother," Ben added, "and he will kill him if anything happens to me."  
  
By this time Judd was at a loss about what to do. How could Adam and Penny have escaped, met up with Ben, and kidnapped BJ, all under his very nose?!?  
  
"Alright, " Judd finally grumbled, backing down. "We'll talk, but first I wanta see BJ, and this better not be a trick!"  
  
"No trick," answered Ben, slowly rising from the log, "I will take you to him," and he turned and walked towards the woods, hoping to be able to jump Judd once they got into the shadows.  
  
Adam hadn't counted on the two men moving, and when they did he tried to correct his position. But as he turned, his foot caught on a root, sending him stumbling. The noise startled Judd, causing him to turn and fire at the spot where the sound had come from. At the same instant, Ben turned around with his hands clasped together, bringing his fists down on the back of Judd's neck, knocking him to his knees and causing the gun to fall from his hand. Just then, Sheriff Coffee came out of the woods, jerking Judd off the ground and immediately handcuffing him. The rest of the men came out of the woods, too, thankful that the danger was over.  
  
As Roy's deputy led Judd away, Ben explained where BJ could be found. Then Ben looked around for Adam, surprised he hadn't seen him yet.  
  
"Adam IS with you, isn't he, Roy?" Ben finally asked.  
  
"Course he is!" Roy replied. "How else do you think we found you?"  
  
"Then where is he?"  
  
As they began to look around, Ben's heart jumped into his throat as he spotted a familiar figure lying face down at the edge of the woods, unmoving. Not another son down! The words screamed in Ben's head as he headed for Adam. Adam pushed himself up from where he'd fallen just as Ben fell by his side. He felt a warm, uncomfortable liquid flowing freely from his nose, but was quick to hold up a hand to hide it. How embarrassing, he thought, to get a nose-bleed from falling on my face!  
  
Ben, concerned at seeing red blood oozing through his sons fingers, gently pried away Adam's fingers from his face.  
  
"Adam, you're bleeding," Ben stated, worry furrowing his brow.  
  
"It's nothing, Pa," Adam countered, holding his shirt sleeve up to his face. The pressure on his nose was painful, and he stifled an urge to cry out.  
  
"Like Hell, it's nothing," Ben retorted, once again pulling Adam away from guarding his face.  
  
Even in the dim moonlight, Ben could visibly see Adam's nose was broken; a definite hint being his two black eyes.  
  
"Come with me, son," Ben scolded his son as if he were a child. "We're taking you to see Doc Martin right now."  
  
Adam despondently agreed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Quite a long while later, after BJ and Judd had been apprehended by Sheriff Coffee, Ben and Adam finally reached the doctors office.  
  
By now, Adam's nose had stopped bleeding, but Ben was no less worried about him than before.  
  
Hearing horse hooves stopping outside his door, Paul quickly walked outside to meet the arrivals. He was grateful to see Ben and Adam ride up, but grew concerned at Adam's condition. He looked as if his nose was broken, and he seemed hunched over. Penny had warned the doctor that Adam had been beaten badly, but the doctor was concerned upon laying eyes on him.  
  
"Let me help you, Adam," the doctor said, offering a steady hand.  
  
Adam accepted and slid off the horse, grunting in the process. Now that the ordeal was practically over, his body felt it could finally begin to feel the pain it was parceled out during the last few hours.  
  
"Where's Joe," Adam managed.  
  
"Slow down, young man," Paul replied, steering Adam onto a bench in the entryway of the doctor's office. "Sit."  
  
Adam, too weak to argue, sat.  
  
The doctor quickly nursed the boy, wrapping his bruised ribs in bandages and rubbing a soothing salve on Adam's sore nose, under Ben's trusting eye.  
  
Finally, when Adam was considered in good enough health to be semi-active, Paul directed Adam into the backroom, where Joe was. Adam quickly stumbled to his brother's side, but Ben paused at the door, reluctant at what he might find. He turned to face his long-time friend, Paul.  
  
"Is he..." Ben started.  
  
"I can't lie to you. Things are still real unsure right now. I had to remove his spleen, but he still might be bleeding internally. We're just gonna have ta take it one day at a time."  
  
Ben nodded and turned a sorrowful gaze to the door where his sons were and bravely walked in.  
  
His heart grew heavy as he saw his son's shell lying on the stark white sheets of the bed.  
  
"Joseph," he inquired, and gingerly touched his son's cold face. He grew alarmed by the lack of warmth and cradled his youngest son's hand in his own. More urgently he called out the youth's name. "Joseph!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Earlier, Hoss had managed to get some rest while Penny sat with Joe, but he still had not eaten. So as soon as it got light, Penny helped him over to the restaurant in the hotel. With Joe doing a little better now, they could both relax just a bit.  
  
It had caused Hoss a great deal of concern when he was finally able to see Penny in the light of day; both of her cheeks were swollen and bruised, and he could tell that she was in pain as she chewed her food slowly and carefully. Finally he expressed his concern, and Penny told him about the whole harrowing ordeal. Hoss was amazed that Penny's teeth hadn't been knocked out of her mouth, and he was worried about Adam's safety, along with his father.  
  
Starting back to the doctor's office, Hoss and Penny saw two horses tied up out front, and were hopeful that the horses had brought Ben and Adam to town.  
  
As they neared the office, they heard Ben shout Joe's name, and they hurried inside to see what was happening.  
  
Also hearing his father's voice, Joe slowly opened his eyes, but everything was blurry. He could make out the figure of a person sitting beside him, and he could feel someone holding his hand, but he didn't know for sure who it was.  
  
"Pa?" he asked weakly.  
  
"Yes, my boy, I'm here, and so is Adam," came the reply, and a squeeze of the hand. Then Joe heard Adam say, "Joe, you're going to make it; just hang on." And with that, Joe closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.  
  
The doctor checked Joe again, and assured everyone that he was doing as well as could be expected, and that his paleness and cold skin was due to his loss of blood. Paul was actually glad to feel the coolness of Joe's forehead; it meant that he did not have a fever, so possibly no infection, at least not yet.  
  
Knowing that all of them did not need to stay with Joe, it was soon decided that Adam, Hoss and Penny would get rooms at the hotel and get some sleep. They planned to take turns with Ben sitting with Joe, but Ben had insisted that he would take the first watch, and they just hoped that they could eventually pry him away from Joe's side.  
  
Penny had quickly noticed that Adam's condition was not good, but he had brushed aside her attempts to check on him. In turn, he had wanted to check on her, but thought better of it.  
  
Now that they were heading for the hotel, they both hoped they could find some time to talk.  
  
But after checking into their rooms, sleep overtook them, and many hours passed before either of them woke up.  
  
Ben had sent instructions to the owner of the general store to send new clothes over to Adam and Penny, and they found these hanging on the knobs of the doors to their rooms. As each one cleaned up, they stared at themselves in the mirror, hardly believing that the reflections they saw staring back at them were their own.  
  
Eventually, Penny made her way downstairs and saw Adam sitting at a table in the dining room, trying to eat, but not having an easy time of it. He was bent over the table, holding the lower part of his chest, and trying to open his mouth without causing pain to shoot across his face due to his broken nose.  
  
Penny took a seat across from him, asking first if there was any word on Joe. "Nothing new to report," he answered, staring at Penny's bruises through his swollen eyelids, and quickly blaming himself for them, "except that he is running a slight fever, but Paul says that is to be expected." Adam quickly explained that he had been over to the doctor's office already to see Joe again, and that Hoss was now with him while Ben slept.  
  
"Good," said Penny, adding "I can take the next turn so you can get some more rest."  
  
"We can talk about that later," said Adam, as he gave up on trying to eat anymore. "Are you hungry?" he asked Penny.  
  
"No," she replied, "and I don't think I could eat even if I was."  
  
Understanding, Adam stood up and took her hand. "Why don't we go somewhere private to talk."  
  
Since neither of them wanted people staring at them, they decided to go back to Penny's room, because it was larger and had a couple of chairs in it.  
  
Back in Penny's room, Adam and Penny sat across from one another in the hard but comfortable hotel chairs.  
  
"Penny, I'm so sorry. This happened because of me," Adam finally spoke his mind as he gingerly touched her bruised cheek.  
  
"You really don't believe this is your fault...do you, Adam? You have no control over those strangers' actions."  
  
"They weren't strangers, Penny. At least not to me."  
  
Penny narrowed her eyes as she searched the face opposite her.  
  
"What are you saying," she practically whispered.  
  
Adam poured out the whole story in misery, occasionally glancing up into Penny's dark eyes. When he finished, Penny rested her delicate hand atop his shoulder.  
  
"I still say it's not your fault, Adam. So maybe you DID know them. Just because you know me doesn't mean you're responsible for my actions, does it? So you DEFINATELY shouldn't have to feel responsible for their actions!"  
  
Adam gave Penny a tight smile. "Maybe you're right."  
  
"I KNOW I'm right," she teased lightly.  
  
As if they had the same mind, Adam and Penny both leaned in to kiss one another. A knock at the hotel door, however, stopped them before their lips could meet.  
  
Penny, in embarrassment over almost kissing Adam, blushed, excused herself, and went to open the door.  
  
"Can I help you," she asked the man standing in the hallway.  
  
"Yes. Is there a Ms. Penny Green here?"  
  
Penny nodded, saying that she was Ms. Green, and the man pulled out a telegram and handed it to her.  
  
"I don't normally deliver telegrams," he explained, "but it said it was urgent. I heard you were here from some people in town."  
  
"Thank you," Penny offered breathlessly as she took the telegram.  
  
She waited until the man nodded acceptance of her thanks and began to leave before she closed the door and turned to meet Adam's quizzical gaze.  
  
"Wonder what's so urgent," Penny murmured, turning the folded paper over and over in her hands. The word 'urgent' scared her, and she didn't want to open it for fear of bad news. So she handed it to Adam. "You should read it first, please."  
  
Adam shrugged and unfolded it, reading the telegram to himself.  
  
"It's from Helen. She got to Boston, and..."  
  
Fear gripped Penny's heart as she saw the frown that creased Adam's bruised and swollen face.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Adam looked up, face still showing signs that something was amiss, and handed the note to Penny.  
  
"Oh, dear," she stammered when she finished reading it. She looked up into Adam's face once more. "We better keep this from Joe until he gets a little better," Penny stated.  
  
Adam nodded slowly as Penny folded the telegram about Helen and her ill, previous boyfriend, Robert Peterson, back up and stuck it into her luggage for safe keeping. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hoss sat by Joe's bedside, a worried look on his face. At the time he had convinced his father to go to the hotel and rest, Joe was cool and in a deep sleep. Now, however, he was feverish (and getting worse by the hour), and had become restless, mumbling in his sleep. But the only word that Hoss could make out was a name; Helen!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Penny seated herself again, a concerned look on her face. "I know Helen thinks that what she is doing is for the best, but I'm not convinced that she's right."  
  
"Of course," replied Adam, leaning back in his chair with a weary sigh, "she has no knowledge of what has happened to Joe, but even if she did know, it probably wouldn't have stopped her."  
  
"She IS impulsive," Penny conceded, coming over to kneel beside Adam. "But we can deal with her later. It's you I'm worried about now." And she reached up to smooth down his hair. "You're still in a lot of pain, aren't you?"  
  
"Not really," answered Adam unconvincingly. "I'm just a little tired, but mostly concerned about Joe."  
  
Penny stood, then sat on the arm of Adam's chair and put her arm around his shoulders. "I know," she said quietly, as she kissed the side of his head. Adam leaned against her, thankful that she was there.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben awoke with a start! He realized he was in the Virginia City hotel, but couldn't remember why. Soon, however, he recalled the events of the last 48 hours. How did I let something like that happen to my sons, he thought, and to Penny also. I shouldn't have hired those men; I should have gone to the corral earlier. Shoulds and shouldn'ts continued to race through his mind as he got up and hurriedly dressed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dr. Martin met Ben at the door to his office, telling Ben that both Adam and Penny were with Joe, and that Hoss had gone to get something to eat. He also informed Ben that Joe's condition had worsened, causing Ben to hurry into the other room.  
  
Joe was fighting the covers, not wanting them on him, while Penny was trying to sooth him with whispered words of encouragement as she pulled the covers back over him. At the same time, Adam was putting a cold cloth on Joe's head.  
  
When Ben came in, Adam and Penny backed away, so Ben could get close to the bed. Again, he thought of how young Joe looked, and how helpless. If only there was more that I could do, thought Ben desperately to himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After having been sent back to the hotel by Ben, Adam went straight to his room, while Penny stayed in the dining room to see if she could get some soup into her stomach. For the first time since receiving the telegram, Penny had time to think about it.  
  
Helen was bringing her former boyfriend here, to Virginia City! Apparently the doctor thought the climate out here might help his condition, but what was Helen thinking, having to care for him, with Joe around. IF Joe even makes it, she thought, but quickly dismissed that from her mind. She knew she had to remain positive for everyone's sake, including Adam's.  
  
Back in her room, weariness came over Penny again, and she quickly put on her nightgown and got into bed. But before she could fall asleep, she became aware of sound coming from the next room; Adam's room. As she listened carefully, she was finally able to make out that the sounds she heard were moans and groans.  
  
Without even putting much thought into what she was doing, she got out of bed and donned her robe, not even taking the time to put shoes on. Reaching Adam's door, she discovered that his door was not even completely closed, let alone locked.  
  
Quietly, she pushed the door open. Adam was hunched over, holding his ribs and groaning in pain. They had been so painful to him, but he didn't want Penny to know. Now that he was, so he thought, in the privacy of his own room, he felt free to let the pain overwhelm him. And it did. So much did it consume his body that he was unaware that he hadn't closed or locked the door behind him.  
  
He hadn't gotten the chance to change clothes for bed, so he was still wearing the clothes he had on all day.  
  
Penny, watching the hunched-over man from the doorway, felt pity for Adam flood her body, but she was unsure if she should go up to him or not. Finally, she could take watching him suffer alone no longer and rushed to his side, wrapping him in a loving embrace.  
  
"Oh, Adam," she whispered. He was startled to see her, but saw no point in hiding the pain any longer, and continued to moan.  
  
"I love you," she said, tenderly pulling him onto the nearby hotel settee.  
  
They sat together until Adam's pain subsided, and he fell into pain-free sleep, cradled in Penny's lap.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Helen, also with someone cradled in her lap, looked at the sleeping man with far less love on her face than on Penny's when Penny looked at the sleeping Adam.  
  
In fact, a stranger might mistake Helen's look for one of pure disgust.  
  
"Robert," she said, not expecting a reply from the slumbering individual, and grateful she didn't receive one. "You don't know how difficult you're making this on me. At one point, I know I said that I'd always love you. And at that moment in time I thought it was true. But it's not anymore. You've changed, and I've changed. I love Joe Cartwright now. You'll meet him soon enough and I'm sure you'll like him."  
  
Helen furrowed her eyebrows as a sudden thought occurred to her. What if Joe didn't understand why she brought Robert back to Nevada with her? She hadn't wanted to. In fact, she had out right refused at first. But the doctor said it was best, so she had finally consented. She remembered the last time Joe met one of her old boyfriends! It had nearly gotten the both of them killed, although she couldn't imagine that happening with the deathly ill Robert.  
  
Worrying about Joe's reaction to her arrival with Mr. Peterson caused her to fret, so she took out a sheet of paper and explained her reasoning to Joe. When she had finished, she added it to the collection of letters in her wooden box, a gift from Joe. It was now near overflowing with folds of paper, all for the youngest Cartwright.  
  
Putting the carved treasure back into her satchel, she stroked Robert's feverish brow absent-mindedly.  
  
"Robert," she said lightly, "the moment you get better, I'm gonna marry Joe Cartwright. I apologize now if that hurts you, but that's my decision, and there's nothing that'll change that."  
  
Robert, though his eyes were closed, and he appeared asleep, had heard the last part of the conversation to him. Forlornly, he vowed not to let such a kind-hearted, spirited woman such as Helen escape his love. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Adam awoke, it was daylight. Glancing up, he could see that Penny had finally dozed off. Not wanting to disturb her, he closed his eyes again, realizing how good it felt to have his head cradled in her lap. He was still concerned about Joe, but figured that someone would have come for him if Joe's condition had worsened. As his mind drifted back to the events of the night before, he suddenly thought he remembered hearing Penny say that she loved him. Had she really, or was it just something he had dreamed? He realized that he was hoping it had really been said!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
During the night, Joe's condition had actually gone from worse to better. Both Ben and Hoss had stayed with him as his fever continued to rise, but finally broke around 4:00 a.m. Ben thought about sending word to Adam and Penny, but hated to wake them, knowing the toil their captivity had taken on them.  
  
Soon after the fever left him, Joe awoke with a much clearer head, although his body still felt as bad as ever. He was happy to see Pa and Hoss there, and grateful for the water they were able to get down him. The doctor assured him that the worst was over, but warned him that he would have to give his body plenty of time to heal. And there would be no bronco-busting for a long, long time!  
  
Joe asked about Adam and Penny and for the first time heard about what had happened to them. He thought about how nice it would be to get back home and have everyone together under the same roof!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
While still on the train, Helen suddenly realized that in her haste to get back to Virginia City with Robert, she had not given any thought as to where she would take him when they arrived. Her parents expected to be in California for a lengthy period of time, so it would not be proper to care for him at her house, even if Penny was there. The hotel and boarding house would not be a good environment, nor a proper place, either. Could she dare hope that the Cartwrights would take them in for awhile? It would give her the opportunity to spend more time with Joe, so surely no one would object to that!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Unbeknownst to Helen, there was someone else on the train who was traveling from Boston to Virginia City. His mind was not on the Cartwrights, however, but rather on someone else Helen knew and cared about, and those thoughts were very dark! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No more than a week later, Joe was finally able to be transported from the doctor's office back to his own room. He still couldn't walk or stand on his own, but the thought of being able to get out of the banal doctor's office room and back to his own bed made Joe feel rejuvenated.  
  
"Come on, Joe," Hoss said, tenderly lifting Joe up from the bed and carrying him towards the doorway.  
  
As they stepped out into the morning sunlight, with Adam, Ben, and Penny watching nearby, a stage pulled to a stop further down the walkway.  
  
"Strange time for a stage to arrive," Joe mused.  
  
Hoss replied, "I heard tell that the stage is carryin' passengers from one of those passenger trains in the next town. That's why they're bringin' 'em ta Virginia City right now."  
  
Joe, though satisfied with this answer, watched the stage in curiosity.  
  
The stage door opened, and Adam began to tease Joe about always getting out of work one way or another, but the comment was lost on Joe. A girl stepped out, and Joe was almost sure it was Helen.  
  
Couldn't be her, he thought, because she's in... Right at this precise moment, the girl turned and Joe got a full-on look at the weary face. It WAS her!  
  
"Quick, Hoss," Joe commanded desperately. "Put me in the wagon. Hurry!"  
  
So many times in his post-surgery delirium, Joe had called out for this girl. Now, though, was an awful time for her to show up! He couldn't bear to imagine her seeing him in his present condition, being lugged around like a baby!  
  
Hoss wasn't sure what Joe's hurry was, but he rushed to put Joe in the carriage anyway. Joe tried to look away from Helen so she couldn't see him, and he gratefully sunk low into the seat when he was secured onto the rig. Watching out of one corner of his eye, he gasped as he saw her helping a pale, quavering man from his spot in the vehicle.  
  
Penny grew concerned as she saw Joe's face cloud over with fear, dread, worry, and then shock in a rapid sequence. She followed his inadvertent gaze to where she saw Helen helping Robert off the stage.  
  
Penny was glad at the sight of her friend. "Helen!"  
  
Joe sunk lower into his seat. Don't come over here, Helen. Please don't, he begged.  
  
Helen turned and waved. Leaving her luggage where it was being unloaded, she helped Robert over to her clump of friends. As she drew closer, however, she felt something was wrong with Joe. He didn't look very healthy, not to mention the fact that he seemed none too happy to see her.  
  
In all this excitement, no one took notice of the other man, gruff and mysterious, getting off from the arriving carriage and venomously studying the group from afar. "Hello, Joe!" said Helen with more enthusiasm than she really felt. "Is everything alright?"  
  
"I had a slight accident," Joe replied tersely, "nothing to worry about," and he turned his face away from her.  
  
Everyone stood there awkwardly for a moment, then Helen remembered to introduce Robert. "You did get my telegram, didn't you, Penny, telling you that I was bringing Robert out here to see if the climate agrees with him?"  
  
Penny turned red as Ben, Hoss and Joe all turned to stare at her. She had wanted to tell Joe about it, but never seemed to find the right time to do it. Now it was too late. "Yes," she replied awkwardly, "but everyone's been so busy I have not had a chance to talk to them about it." And she noticed that Joe was glaring at her.  
  
"Well," said Helen, "I'm glad that everyone happens to be here anyway, because I have a huge favor to ask." And she explained her idea of taking Robert out to the Ponderosa.  
  
Afterwards everyone stood in stunned silence, no one knowing what to say to this proposal. It was finally Joe who broke the silence, saying rather sarcastically, "Why not. The more the merrier."  
  
Helen was so relieved to hear a positive response she didn't even notice the tone in which the words were said.  
  
"That's wonderful! Thank you. I will rent a horse and buggy and we will see you out there as soon as possible!" And she turned and led poor Robert away, not giving him a chance to protest.  
  
"Are you certain you want to do this, Joe," Ben asked with concern once Helen was gone.  
  
"Positive!" answered Joe with a scowl on his face. "Now let's get out of here!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It had been such a strange week, Penny thought, as her mind wandered on the ride back to the ranch. After the night she and Adam had spent on the settee, and her admission about her feelings for him, she had hoped that they could start building a closer relationship. But after the crisis with Joe passed, Ben had sent Hoss and Adam back home, both to continue their recuperation, and also so Adam could oversee the running of the ranch. Ben and Penny had stayed in town to be with Joe. So Penny did not even yet know Adam's reaction to what she had told him. Having been in a lot of pain at the time, perhaps he hadn't even heard her say that she loved him. Or perhaps he had, and was just trying to ignore it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Riding behind Helen and Robert, Adam was having similar thoughts. He was now a bit embarrassed at having shown weakness around her, and he still didn't know for sure how she felt about him. And now, with Helen around, and her friend needing a lot of care, time alone with Penny was probably going to be harder to come by than ever.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
And in all the commotion of Helen's arrival, the stranger who had arrived in the same coach with her was able to observe the little gathering in front of the doctor's office for a good while without being seen. He only knew one person across the way from him, and didn't know what was going on, but he was determined to find out as soon as possible, for he had unfinished business to take care of! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In front of the Ponderosa ranch house, Helen helped get Robert off the carriage and inside. Once he was settled into the guest room and taking a nap, she set off to find Joe.  
  
What 'slight accident' had he been involved in, she pondered.  
  
She went outside and borrowed one of the horses so she could ride into town to talk to Joe. Robert was inside under the watchful care of Hop Sing, so she felt free to leave her job as nurse---at least for a little while.  
  
But as she put her foot in the stirrup, preparing to mount, a thought occurred to her. She retracted her foot and scurried into the house. Pulling the box from Joe out of her satchel, she put in another quick note that stated, "No matter what happens, Joe Cartwright, I'll always love you." After signing it with a foreboding sense of finality, she closed the lid on the box and left the room.  
  
She rode out of the ranch house and rode down the path. As she was riding along, the horse became spooked, and Helen glanced around furtively at the horse's nervous behavior.  
  
But, somehow, she wasn't frightened.  
  
A strange calm overwhelmed her. When the horse bucked and threw her, sending her sprawling to her inevitable fate, she simply closed her eyes and allowed death to mercifully consume her. PART 4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As soon as Hoss helped Joe get settled into his room, Joe pulled the covers over his head, telling Hoss to let everyone know that he wanted to sleep and he shouldn't be disturbed. He had not said one word to his father and brother on the ride out to the ranch, and he wasn't planning on talking to anyone now, either. Especially not Helen!  
  
After a few minutes, however, Joe heard a soft knock on his door. Ignoring it, he tried to will whomever it was to go away. But the knock came again, and this time a voice saying, "Please, Joe, I need to talk to you." It was Penny. Joe, however, was in no mood to talk to her, either, and so he continued to keep quiet.  
  
As she slowly descended the stairs, Penny was at a loss as to what she should do about, well, anything! Joe was not going to let her apologize to him, Helen had disappeared already, and Penny certainly didn't want to deal with Robert...Adam! she thought, that's who I need to see. And she headed outside to find him.  
  
Adam was just finishing up with the horses as Penny entered the barn. He saw the worried look on her face and wanted to immediately assure her that everything was alright, no matter what had happened, but instead he just strode over to meet her, asking what was wrong.  
  
"Well, first of all, Joe isn't speaking to me because I didn't tell him that Helen was coming back with Robert in tow. And, NOW, Helen and Robert are staying here. What a mess!"  
  
"True," Adam agreed, nodding, "but it's not YOUR mess. It's between Joe and Helen, and they have to work through it by themselves," and he led Penny over to a bale of hay for them to sit on. "Now I think it's about time for you and me to work through some things!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, the mysterious stranger had learned all he needed to know about the Cartwrights and their guests by providing free drinks at the saloon. He had already known what he wanted to accomplish on this trip; now a plan on how to pull it off was beginning to take shape in his mind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Penny and Adam had talked for quite a while, each avoiding the phrase "I love you", which was the only phrase that adequately expressed their feelings toward one another. Penny had already said it, but the more she and Adam conversed, the more she realized that he probably never heard her.  
  
Adam, meanwhile, was trying to discover if Penny had, in fact, told him she loved him.  
  
So, the verbal cat-and-mouse game commenced.  
  
Finally, Adam nonchalantly said, "When I was sleeping in your lap the other night, I dreamed you told me..." He purposely didn't finish his sentence, but instead half-squinted at her, trying to read her thoughts.  
  
The combination of his directness and his gaze made Penny uncomfortable, so she looked down and quietly, almost inaudibly said, "you thought you heard me say that I loved you, right?"  
  
Adam ducked down so he could see into her downcast eyes and asked slowly, "so I wasn't dreaming?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm very glad."  
  
Penny looked up and smiled, then embraced Adam. A deep sense of worry was lifted off her shoulders, and she felt safe in Adam's secure grasp. She felt as if nothing could disturb this moment, but she was wrong.  
  
"HELEN!!"  
  
Penny pulled away, frustration creasing her forehead.  
  
"Is that..." Adam began.  
  
Penny finished his thought. "...Robert."  
  
"Where's Helen?"  
  
"I don't know," Penny responded, as Helen's name continued to be blasted across the yard. "I haven't seen her in awhile, and I don't have the patience to deal with that old boyfriend of hers!"  
  
"Maybe we should find her," Adam almost had to holler his suggestion as the man continued to belt out "Helen".  
  
"That's probably a good idea," Penny replied, but as she did, another voice added to the yelling. Even out in the barn, it was evident that Joe was the other voice, and he sounded more than just a little irate.  
  
"Oh no," Adam groaned. "He's probably causing trouble...not to mention he's got to have gotten out of bed!"  
  
As he and Penny rushed to the house, loud banging began to sound, intermixed with yelps of pain and shouts of anger, and Adam and Penny ran faster.  
  
When Adam and Penny emerged from the barn, they saw Robert holding onto the doorway of his room that led to the outside, still calling for Helen with panic in his voice. Hop Sing was trying to get him back inside, and Joe was at a bedroom window, throwing things at Robert and yelling something about not being able to get any sleep around there.  
  
And in the middle of all the melee, a rider-less horse came into the yard.  
  
Adam looked at the horse, and then at Penny, but she shook her head, not knowing anything about it. Adam looked it over, but could not see anything wrong with it. Just then some ranch hands came out of the bunkhouse to see what all the ruckus was about, and Adam asked them about the horse. Upon learning that one of them had recently saddled it for Helen, he jumped on it without a word to anyone and tore off down the road.  
  
Penny sighed, wishing she could have managed a get-away, too (and not realizing that something might be wrong). But instead of leaving, she went over to Robert to try to calm him down.  
  
"Mistah Robert have bad dream," said Hop Sing. "Need to go back to bed."  
  
"NO!" insisted Robert, with more strength than Penny expected him to have. "Something is wrong with Helen. I can feel it. I MUST FIND HER!" he finally shouted. And with that, he collapsed into Hop Sing's arms. By this time Ben had come into the bedroom, and helped Hop Sing get Robert back to bed, at the same time asking Penny to go check on Joe.  
  
Penny was thankful to leave Robert behind and head for Joe's room. She was beginning to worry a bit about Helen herself, and was glad she had something to do to keep busy until Helen returned.  
  
By the time Penny got upstairs, Joe was back in bed, but still smoldering with anger. One look at his face, and Penny wished she had stayed downstairs, instead.  
  
"What is going on around here?" Joe asked in a hostile voice. "Can't Helen control that man that tagged along with her? I need to get some rest!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Joe, but we can't find Helen. But Robert is back in bed and shouldn't bother you anymore."  
  
"What do you mean, you can't find Helen," Joe asked, with a touch of concern tempering his anger. "Where could she be?"  
  
"That's just it, Joe, no one seems to know," answered Penny, "but I'm sure she will be back soon."  
  
"I saw Adam ride out of here a few minutes ago; did that have anything to do with Helen?"  
  
And suddenly it dawned on Penny that there might be a connection between Helen and the horse that had come back alone, and that Adam must have gone to check it out. And she shivered with a foreboding sense of uneasiness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam was concerned about Helen. He scanned the horizon every moment he could, trying to find a potential answer to why the horse would come back without her. He hoped for the best; maybe she had just stopped to get off for a moment and the horse had run away, leaving her stranded. That would be a situation they could all laugh about, and Adam prayed his fable would turn truth.  
  
Rounding a corner, he saw buzzards circling the air high above. His stomach lurched, but nothing prepared him for the sight he saw at the sloping part of the hill in a grassy meadow.  
  
"Helen!"  
  
Her body lay, sprawled out, with her blond hair tousled and spraying around her petite figure. Reaching the spot where she lay, Adam jumped off the horse and quickly checked for a pulse. Nothing.  
  
"Oh, God, no. Oh, God...no," he shook his head with disbelief as he gently turned her over.  
  
Adam was no doctor or medical examiner, but it was obvious the youthful woman had broken her neck, and old blood from an undiscovered wound mingled with the dirt and foliage around her head, ruining the delicate dandelions which served as her pillow.  
  
Gently, Adam scooped up the woman he had grown to know, admire, and love, and mounted his horse, while saying words of peace to the lifeless body. It pained him to see anyone killed or harmed, but Helen had been such a vivacious young woman and he knew his youngest brother had loved her very much, despite their recent uncertainties.  
  
As he rode home with Helen's body, he couldn't possibly fathom what had made the horse spook enough to throw her.  
  
Then a thought hit him. What could he possibly tell Joe?  
  
But yet another thought struck Adam, and it made him want to crawl in a hole and die.  
  
Marie had fallen from a horse to her death. Surely Helen's sudden demise by horseback would tear his little brother apart. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Assuring Joe that she would let him know the minute Helen returned, Penny went downstairs and sought out Hoss. After telling him about her concern, he graciously offered to sit outside with her to await Adam's return. They decided not to say anything to Ben yet, since there was very little to tell at this point.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, Hoss and Penny saw Adam come around the barn on the horse, and Penny barely managed to stifle the scream that rose in her throat. She ran to Adam, with Hoss close behind, not taking her eyes off the body of her best friend. But when she reached them, she was unable to even ask what had happened, and stood there with the tears streaming down her face as Adam gently lowered Helen's body into Hoss' arms. As Hoss carried her to the house, Adam dismounted and drew Penny into his arms, finally letting tears of his own spill out.  
  
When Hoss entered the house, Ben was at his desk and could not see who had come in. But when he saw Hoss lowering Helen onto the settee, he jumped to his feet and ran over to her. Kneeling down, he took Helen's hand in his, and began stroking her beautiful blonde hair.  
  
"How...how did this horrible thing happen?" he asked Hoss, emotion causing him to barely get the words out.  
  
"I don't know, Pa," said Hoss, standing over him and wiping the tears from his eyes. "Adam just brought her in like that."  
  
After a couple of minutes, Adam entered the house, with Penny still clinging to him. As they stood behind the settee, Ben looked up at Adam with a hundred questions showing in his eyes.  
  
"I found her in a meadow," Adam answered one of the few of Ben's unspoken questions that he could. "It looks like the horse threw her, although there was nothing there to indicate why he was spooked. Her neck is broken, so death would have been instantaneous."  
  
"I guess we can take some small comfort in the fact that she didn't suffer," Ben replied sadly, rising to his feet. "Now we must think of what needs to be done regarding this; we will have to contact her parents, plan a funeral, decide what to do about the Peterson fellow..."  
  
At this point Adam interrupted his father. "Pa, there is something even more immediate that needs doing." He paused, then added softly, "Joe needs to be told about this."  
  
With a shocked look on his face, Ben stared at Adam, trying to form words in response to what he had just heard, but all that escaped his lips was one breathless word, "Marie!"  
  
"I can tell him, Pa," offered Hoss, wanting to spare his father any more pain.  
  
"No," countered Adam, "I should be the one to do it."  
  
And Penny even managed to say, "Perhaps it should be me; after all, Helen did ask me to take care of Joe for her."  
  
"Thank you," Ben finally managed to say to them, with a weak smile. "I appreciate your offers, but I'm the one that has to tell Joe, because I'm the one that can most understand the pain that he will be feeling."  
  
And with that, Ben turned towards the stairs, his shoulders stooped, looking as if he was carrying the weight of the world on him.  
  
Joe heard a slight commotion downstairs, but didn't make an effort to find out what happened. He figured Helen was back, and was hoping she would come up to him and admit her mistake to him, so they could all just get on with their lives.  
  
Footsteps signaled someone's approach, but they sounded heavy and sad. Concerned, Joe turned his face so he was in a better position to see who came into the door.  
  
Ben knocked lightly, then turned the handle. His eyes shone with threatening tears, and Joe sat up. Something was definitely wrong.  
  
"Pa?" he inquired.  
  
Ben's voice was husky as he replied. "Son, there's been an accident...Helen..."  
  
"Oh, no, Pa." Joe immediately began to remove the covers from himself. "Is she okay?"  
  
Ben pushed his son back down while shaking his head slowly.  
  
"Joe..." the word came out as a grunt. Swallowing, Ben started again. "Joe, Helen fell from her horse. She.didn't make it."  
  
"No!" Joe shrugged off his father's hand and tried to get out of bed. "It's not true!"  
  
"Joe, she's gone! She's gone, Joe, there's nothing you can do for her!!"  
  
Joe looked into his father's distraught face, and his own features melted into a grief-stricken grimace.  
  
"No!"  
  
Joe collapsed back down onto the bed and cried heartily.  
  
"I know, son. I understand." Ben wrapped his arms around his son's shoulders and held him tightly as Joe wept, and Ben wept with him.  
Downstairs, Penny, Adam, and Hoss all bowed their heads as haunting wails echoed from the upstairs. Penny could take it no longer and ran to her best friend's side and clutched the lifeless body to her.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Helen, I'm so sorry!"  
Back in Joe's room, when the youngest Cartwright was finally able to catch his breath long enough to utter a statement, he sputtered, "Pa, you just gotta let me see her!"  
  
Of course it was against Ben's better judgment to let Joe go downstairs. Joe's physical healthy was still fragile, and now his emotional health was wounded as well. But Ben knew that if Joe wanted to see Helen, he would manage to do it, with or without assistance. So Ben helped him put on his robe and gave him support as they slowly made their way down the stairs.  
  
The sight that met Joe was heart wrenching. All he could focus on was Helen's body, lying on the settee, looking just like a princess peacefully resting until her prince came for her. As Joe knelt beside her body, he was not even aware of those around him. Hoss, Adam and Penny had moved into the dining room to give Joe some privacy, but Ben stood near his youngest son, ready to assist him in any way possible.  
  
Joe still couldn't completely fathom that Helen was gone, just like his mother had left him when he was five years old. He took hold of both of Helen's hands, lifting them to his lips and gently kissing them. Then, letting go of one hand, he softly began stroking her cheek.  
  
"Helen," he finally spoke, "I am SO sorry for the way I treated you earlier. I was just upset that you had brought your old boyfriend back here. But that doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters, except for our love, and the fact that I want you to be my wife. Please speak to me, Helen, please say that you love me, too!" And Joe kissed her lips, then gathered her in his arms as best he could, and began to sob all over again.  
  
Penny had turned away from the scene almost as soon as Joe had come downstairs; it was just too painful to watch. Glancing around the dining area for something different to focus on, she noticed the box that Helen had shown her the night before she left town, the box that Joe had given her.  
  
Carefully, Penny opened it and was surprised to see it filled with papers. Pulling a piece out of the middle of the pile, Penny discovered that it was a letter Helen had written to Joe. All the other papers looked similar, except for the very small piece lying on top. Opening it, Penny read Helen's final words to Joe, and silently handed it to Adam for him to read.  
  
As Joe lay clinging to Helen, the door to the guest room opened and Robert Peterson walked out. He was still a bit unsteady on his feet due to weakness, but his delirium had passed for the time being. As he looked around, he suddenly noticed Helen lying on the settee, her arm hanging limply down as Joe clung to her. His heart filling with rage, Robert shouted "You killed her; I should have known you would!" and he lunged towards Joe with all his might.  
  
Joe was oblivious to the happenings around him. He had no recollection of Robert landing on him and pounding his face in. If he felt the pain of the man clutching at his throat, suffocating him, his pain was unnoticeable by those watching. He was only aware that his Helen was dead, and that she had died while Joe was angry at her. She would never hear how truly sorry he was.  
  
"Stop it," Ben demanded, trying to pry Robert off of Joe.  
  
But the man couldn't be removed. In his fit of anger, Robert's own illness was forgotten and he tried desperately to kill Joe in any way he could, by choking him, punching him, even biting him when need be.  
  
Adam and Hoss also worked to pull Robert off of Joe, while Penny fretted as to how to assist them without getting in the way. She decided just to stand to the side, ready to help if the situation needed her, but out of the way from being a nuisance. All the while, tears streamed down her face, but she didn't recognize their presence.  
  
"You killed her! You killed her!" Screeching, Robert continued to attack Joe, who lay motionless; making no effort to defend himself.  
  
Hoss was the one to finally clobber Robert and smother him beneath his wide girth.  
  
"Joe, you okay?" Adam peered into his brother's face, but Joe continued to stare into nothingness.  
  
"Joe, talk to me, boy," Ben demanded.  
  
Joe looked at his father, and an unspeakable sadness haunted his eyes. His face once again twisted in agony, and he began to wail yet again.  
  
Adam leaned back in surprise at his brother's rapid change in emotions. He expected his brother to have a rough time with this awful news, but Adam wasn't sure how to deal with these flighty and unexpected changes in personality.  
  
Hoss, too, was concerned at his brother's behavior. As far back as Hoss could remember Joe would never sit still in a fight...as long as he was conscious, that is.  
  
Joe continued to sob, and curled into fetal position, letting his heaving cries of despair wrack his entire body.  
  
Robert had slipped into a coma, his fever reaching an unnaturally high temperature due to his excitement, and Hoss felt the heat radiating off the man's skin.  
  
"I'm gonna get him back to bed." Hoss roughly grabbed Robert and marched into the guest room with the man.  
  
Ben held his youngest son's head in his lap and let his own tears slide down his seasoned face.  
  
"I love you, Joe. It'll be okay," he assured his son, while Penny and Adam watched sadly.  
  
Joe's cried until there were no more tears left in him, and he fell into a deep sleep from being emotionally and physically exhausted.  
  
Ben tenderly nursed his son's wounds. He had been beaten badly by Robert. Had he just defended himself, he probably wouldn't even have had a single scratch. Joe's physical wounds were slowly starting to heal, but his spirit was not. It was as if everything inside Joe had died along with Helen, and only the shell of his body had been left behind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Two days had passed since Helen's death. Her body had been taken to the undertaker's, her parents were on their way back to Virginia City, and Robert was now staying in a room in the doctor's home, Ben having hired someone to care for him.  
  
Ben and Penny had accompanied Helen's body into town to make arrangements for everything, and were to return today. In the meantime, Adam and Hoss were in charge of Joe's care.  
  
But it was as if Joe was completely lost to them. When food was placed in front of him, he ate. When it was time for bed, he slept. When Hoss put him in Ben's favorite chair, Joe stared into the fire. Since right after Robert had attacked him, he had shown no more emotion; there had been no more tears. He had not even spoken a word to anyone.  
  
Hoss never wavered in his care for Joe, talking to him as if he was getting a response, carrying him back and forth from the downstairs to his bedroom, making sure he had everything he needed.  
  
But it was a different experience for Adam. He was truly shaken by Joe's behavior. Adam was used to reasoning with Joe, or, if that wasn't possible, then ordering him to do something, and making sure that it got done. But nothing he did now could penetrate the trance that Joe seemed to be in. Once he thought about sharing Helen's letters with Joe, but decided it was too soon for that. So Adam busied himself with ranch work, while keeping his eye on his little brother from a distance, and praying for his recovery.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben was thankful to finally be on his way home. He had not wanted to leave Joe for even a moment, but had felt a duty to Helen's parents to take care of details for them himself. Penny had been a big help, but they had been so busy that Ben had not had much chance to talk to her to see how she was doing.  
  
"Have you thought about what you are going to do now?" Ben asked her as they rode along in the wagon. "What I mean is, do you still plan to stay out west for awhile?"  
  
"I would like to," she replied sadly, "but I don't want to be a burden on Helen's parents, or a reminder to them of what they have lost."  
  
"You have lost a great deal, too," Ben said kindly. "Is there anything we can do to help you? What if you just continued to stay at the Ponderosa for now?"  
  
Penny's face brightened at that suggestion. "That would be wonderful, Ben! Thank you. Perhaps Joe and I would be able to help each other through this awful time."  
  
"I would be most grateful if you could help Joe," replied Ben sincerely, and then added, "And what about Adam?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Penny asked innocently.  
  
"It's just that the two of you seemed to be growing closer, and I was hoping that might continue."  
  
"Getting close to someone can be painful," Penny answered honestly. "It's rather frightening to think about it right now."  
  
"But," Ben said with conviction, "you can miss out on a lot of happiness if you give into that fear. And you shouldn't waste time, either, when you have a chance to experience happiness. You need to think about that."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
By now Ben and Penny were nearing the ranch house, and neither of them were aware of the man sitting on horseback atop the hill overlooking the meadow where Helen had died, watching their every move as he had been doing for the past couple of days. The stranger was getting frustrated at how the Cartwrights always seemed to travel in pairs...including with their guests. He sighed. This was going to be more difficult than he had first assumed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The day of the funeral had finally arrived. Hoss and Adam had to practically drag Joe along. While he had been unemotional and unresponsive thus far, he seemed to make it clear by dragging his feet that he didn't want to go to the funeral.  
  
"C'mon, Little Brother," Hoss coaxed. "I know it's gonna be hard, but I'm gonna be there for ya the whole time. And Joe," as he said this, Hoss turned his younger brother to look him in the face, even if Joe seemed to not notice anything, "it's okay to be upset and cry, if'n you have to. No one'll look down on ya for it."  
  
Still, Joe gave no response, but Hoss knew Joe could hear him, so he put his arm around Joe and continued to walk the younger man to their buggy.  
  
Once at the funeral site, Hoss, Ben, Adam, and Peggy all accompanied Joe to a seat. The air was cool and still, and all the mourners huddled in little groups, whispering among themselves and shooting sideways glances at the new arrivals.  
  
Someone cried loudly, and in the front of the somber assembly, Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson clutched one another tightly for comfort.  
  
The preacher led the group in prayer and then said Helen's eulogy.  
  
Throughout the service, Penny cried on and off, Hoss, Adam, and Ben even joined her once or twice, but the only reaction from Joe was a single tear that slid down his cheek.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The only person at the procession who showed little or no emotion, other than Joe, that is, was a man dressed in all black sitting nonchalantly at the back of the gathering. He studied the Cartwrights with unnatural intensity, but mostly he watched young Penny. He did feel bad about Helen's death, partially because he was to blame, but a man as vile as him could take no time to grieve, for grieving could melt a cold heart like his and turn a man soft. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was at the gravesite that the dam of Joe's emotions finally burst. After Helen's coffin was lowered into the ground and another prayer was offered up, those who were gathered around began to pick up a handful of dirt and drop it into the grave. One by one they did this, starting with Helen's parents, and then each one walked away, until no one was left standing there except Joe and Hoss, who once again had his arm around Joe's shoulders. As Joe stared at Helens coffin, covered with lumps of dirt, he suddenly sunk to his knees, burying his face in his hands and sobbing harder than he ever had since the day his beloved mother had died.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Meanwhile, Ben had gone to the home of Helen's parents to offer his condolences, and also see what he could do to help them. But Adam, seeing how exhausted Penny was after the service, suggested to her that they head back to the ranch.  
  
As the buggy crossed over onto Ponderosa land, Penny, who had sat quietly up until now, asked, "Adam, could we go to that place that you told me about; the spot where you want to someday build your own home?"  
  
"Of course," answered Adam, turning the team off the road and heading down towards the lake. He was surprised that Penny wanted to go there right now, but decided against asking her anything about it.  
  
When they arrived at the area that Adam believed to be the most beautiful place on earth, with Lake Tahoe in front of where the house would go, and the tall pines and the mountains behind, he helped Penny down from the rig and watched her walk towards the lake.  
  
After giving her a few minutes alone, he joined her and turned her around to face him. Without any warning or hesitation, Penny suddenly put her arms around Adam's neck and gave him a kiss. As she pulled away, Adam quietly asked, "What was that for?" and she immediately answered, "Because life is short, and I don't want to waste time when I have a chance at happiness."  
  
And with that Adam wrapped his strong arms around her, and they both kissed with all the love that they were feeling in their hearts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The stranger in black entered the Cartwrights home through an open window and went upstairs. He was very tired of tracking his prey, and had decided to take action in a different way. As he checked each room he came to, he finally found the one he was looking for, and quickly stepped inside, closing the door behind him! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe looked up at Hoss, his eyes swollen and red.  
  
"Oh, Hoss, I wish I could die with her."  
  
"Now, come on, Joe," Hoss reasoned with compassion. "You caint really mean that! Why, sure it hurts, but you caint just wonna die over it!"  
  
Joe looked sadly down at the ground in which he still kneeled, and traced aimlessly with his index finger before stating, "I just wish I could hear her voice one last time, Hoss. I wish I could know that she loved me, even after I was so cold to her the days before she...before she..." And the crying commenced once more.  
  
Hoss thought for a moment before he replied. "Well, Joe, I believe, there is a way, if not to hear her voice than to know that she loved you."  
  
Joe turned his face towards Hoss inquisitively.  
  
"Follow me." Together, Hoss helped Joe towards the wagon and they rode back to the Ponderosa together. Until it was out of sight, Joe watched the gravesite disappear through the trees.  
  
Once they reached the ranch house, Hoss led Joe into the house and upstairs to his own room.  
  
"Wait here."  
  
Hoss rummaged through his own bedroom, than Adam's, looking for the box that Joe had given Helen before she had left for Boston. He couldn't find it, and pondered where it might be. He remembered that Penny had wanted it in her room, sort of as a way to feel close to Helen, and so Hoss ventured across the hall to the guest room.  
  
Reaching the door, he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. He didn't feel right about going into a lady's room without her permission, but finally decided that Penny would understand, on account that he was getting the box for Joe. If it was in plain sight, than he would get it; if it was hidden, however, Hoss was going to wait for Penny to return in order to retrieve it. He turned the handle and pushed the door open.  
  
The box was in sitting half-hazardly on the nightstand.  
  
"Doesn't seem like Penny jus' to leave it lyin' there like that."  
  
Hoss felt suddenly uneasy, and glanced around the room in suspicion. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, except for that Penny seemed to be a messy guest, her things strewn about everywhere, so he shrugged off his feelings and went out the door to see Joe again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As soon as the door was shut, the stranger exhaled loudly, grateful he didn't get caught. After he had searched through many of Penny's belongings, he had heard the doorknob jiggle. He didn't think Penny had gotten back just yet, so he had hid in the closet, where he saw Hoss come in through the crack in the doorframe. It would only be a matter of time now... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Having picked up the box before leaving Penny's room, Hoss carried it to where Joe sat, gazing out his bedroom window. Hoss handed him the box, and heard Joe's quick intake of breath upon seeing the box for the first time since giving it to Helen. He slowly opened it, and was surprised to find it filled with folded up papers.  
  
"Penny found these with Helen's things here at the ranch. She checked to see what the papers were, and found out they were love letters written to you, little brother," Hoss said, trying to conceal the excitement he felt.  
  
Joe took the papers out of the box, holding them as if they were fragile, and might easily break. Then he took the one from the bottom of the pile and laid everything else on a table.  
  
Knowing that he was no longer needed, Hoss walked quietly out of the room as Joe opened up the paper he was holding.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Adam and Penny had a difficult time pulling away from each other, but they knew that they needed to be getting home to check on Joe. As they got on their way, they agreed to keep what was going on between them a secret for now, in deference to the pain that Joe was feeling over a lost love.  
  
Actually it was a relief to decide to keep the news between themselves for awhile, so they would have more time to get used to it before anyone started teasing them, or asking about future plans.  
  
Not long after getting the buggy back on the road, Ben caught up with the two young people while riding Buck from town, and they all got back to the house together.  
  
Upon entering the house, Hoss met them and told them what had happened with Joe. Thankful that the emotional breakthrough he had needed seemed to be occurring, they quietly went about their business, getting ready for supper.  
  
As Penny went into her room, she immediately realized something was wrong, for her things were not neatly placed where she had left them. But before she could react, the door closed behind her, and she felt a man's breath on the back of her neck at the same time that he slipped his arm around her waist. She started to scream, but the man quickly put the sharp, cold blade of a knife to her throat, preventing the scream from coming out.  
  
"Hello, Penny girl," he whispered into her ear. "I bet you thought you were safe out here, far away from Boston. But you should have known that I would never let you get away from me!"  
  
Recognizing the voice as one she had hoped to never hear again, a shiver ran through Penny's body, but her mind was temporarily paralyzed so that she could not think of any way out of this situation.  
  
"You know what I want," the man continued, "and I'm not leaving here until I get it. And if you don't cooperate, I will happily slice your delicate throat from one side to the other," and his grip on her tightened, showing that this was not just an idle threat!  
  
Penny whimpered in response.  
  
The man behind her slipped a cloth over her mouth and tied it so she wouldn't yell out, the whole time never removing the knife from her throat.  
  
Penny's knees felt wobbly and her head swooned in fear. The man pushed her over to the wall and turned her around, pressing himself against her. Penny was finally able to see the face of the man she had had nightmares about so many times before, and panicking tears formed in her eyes.  
  
"I knew you could never forget about me, Penny," the man hissed, while he produced a small diamond ring from his pocket. "I figured you would still have this with you."  
  
Penny's eyes darted from the engagement ring the man had given her so long ago to the face of the vile being before her.  
  
"You were never one to throw valuable things away, especially if they had sentimental value."  
  
Penny tried to shrink into the wall of the bedroom to escape her tormentor.  
  
Feeling her try to pull away from him, he pressed himself harder against her, until his nose was just an inch from hers. He breathed heavily upon her face, and fear rose up from her stomach to her throat, making her feel as if she'd vomit.  
  
The man enjoyed watching her fear. He had waited so long for his revenge, and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.  
  
Someone knocked lightly on the door, and the man turned his head with obvious disgust at the interruption.  
  
Hop Sing called out to Penny through the closed door.  
  
"Tell him you're alright and that you're changing," the man whispered gruffly, pulling the cloth from Penny's lips.  
  
Penny, afraid for her life, yelled out in a shaky voice, "I'm changing, Hop Sing!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The cook stayed at the door a moment longer, than scurried downstairs. He detected the anxiety in the girl's voice, and rushed to tell the Cartwrights about it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The man adjusted the cloth over Penny's mouth once again. "Good girl. Now if you just stay still for this, no one will have to get hurt." The man ran the knife slightly across Penny's neck, drawing a little bit of blood and causing her to stifle a scream, so he could emphasize his point.  
  
Holding the blade of the knife up so that Penny could see her own blood on it, the man calmly said, "But before we begin, you are going to do me the honor of putting on my engagement ring once more."  
  
But Penny shook her head no, struggling to get away.  
  
"Put it on!" he growled as he roughly pulled up her left hand, "or I can just as easily cut that finger off!"  
  
With a trembling right hand, Penny took the ring being offered to her...and threw in on the floor in disgust. She was going to die now, she was sure of it, but she was determined that this man would no longer intimidate her!  
  
And as the ring hit the floor, the man took his knife and calmly jabbed it into the hand that he was holding!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hop Sing threw open the front door just as Adam was about to enter the house.  
  
"Mista Adam, hurry," Hop Sing said with urgency. "Something bad happening to Miss Penny," and he pointed towards the upstairs.  
  
Without even taking time to find out what Hop Sing was talking about, Adam headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time. Enough bad things had happened to people in this house over the last few weeks; he wasn't about to let anything else go wrong.  
  
Gun drawn, Adam kicked opened the door to Penny's room, and found her on her knees, white as a ghost, with blood dripping from her hand and a strange man standing over her.  
  
"Drop the knife," Adam demanded, pointing the gun at the man. But instead of doing as he was told, the man jerked Penny to her feet and placed her between himself and Adam, the knife once again at Penny's throat.  
  
"You drop the gun, Cartwright, or you will be attending the funeral of another woman that met her maker with my help!"  
  
Angrily Adam threw down his gun while saying, "You won't get away with this, you know. There are too many people in this house for you to escape, so just let the girl go."  
  
"Oh, I don't care what happens to me," the man said with contempt in his voice, "at least not after I am finished with my Penny girl, but right now she is coming with me, and no one better try to stop me!"  
  
But as he began to push Penny forward, she suddenly went limp and sank to the floor. Adam dove for his gun and came up shooting, his bullet going straight through the man's heart, killing him instantly.  
  
As Adam rushed over and pulled the man's body off of Penny, she asked, "Adam, are you alright?" And then she went into a faint that WASN'T of her own making.  
  
Hop Sing was up the stairs just moments after the sound of a gun going off, and with a bowl of warm water in hand. It didn't matter who was hurt, he was always ready to act as a nurse to the injured.  
  
Seeing the stranger lying dead on the floor and Adam stooping over Penny's limp body, Hop Sing quickly scurried to tend to Penny.  
  
He looked to where she was bleeding from and found a gash across her throat. He rinsed it with water, but it wasn't bleeding bad enough to be responsible for all the blood seeping over Adam. The Oriental man was quick to locate a large gash across Penny's hand. It appeared that her ring finger on her left hand had nearly been sliced off! Hop Sing shook his head sadly as he worked.  
  
"This man cruel." Adam understood the simple yet deeply heartfelt words spoken by the cook.  
  
"I think he killed Helen," Adam whispered.  
  
Meanwhile, Hoss, Ben, and Joe had both entered the room to see what all the commotion was about, but none had spoken until now.  
  
"He killed Helen?" Joe's voice squeaked as he spoke.  
  
"I'm not sure, but he made a reference to Helen's funeral and alluded to the fact that he killed her."  
  
Joe looked scornfully at the dead body and walked over and spit at the lifeless body.  
  
"That's for Helen," he said, getting choked up.  
  
Hoss put a supportive arm around Joe's shoulder as Penny started to come to. She groaned, and Adam rubbed her cheek tenderly.  
  
"It'll be okay," he soothed.  
  
Penny's eyes flickered open and she looked sadly into Adam's eyes, then searched the caring faces around her until she spotted Joe.  
  
"Joe," she addressed him, "George told me that he killed Helen."  
  
Joe once again looked spitefully at the man who finally had a name.  
  
"How?" Once again, his voice betrayed his emotion.  
  
Penny's face became sad, and she winced slightly as Hop Sing bandaged her wounded fingers and hand. "Said he spooked her horse and the horse threw her. Wasn't sure if she was dead or not, so he bashed her head against..." Penny watched to see if Joe was able to handle this. He stood erect and waited for her to continue. "He bashed her head against a rock, Joe, just to make sure."  
  
Joe nodded slowly and turned his gaze downward.  
  
Hop Sing interrupted the sentimental moment. "You mus' get doctah. Girl need hand, fingers sown up. Bandage only last fo' short time." Then Hop Sing left the room.  
  
Ben rushed out to get Dr. Martin, and Hoss led Joe out of the bedroom so he could leave Adam and Penny alone.  
  
"What'd he want with you," Adam demanded as soon as the two of them were left by themselves. "Who was he, anyway, this George fellow?"  
  
Penny was too ashamed to look Adam in the eye. "He was the man I told you about, the one I was engaged to."  
  
"You were going to marry a man like that?" Adam inquired, shock in his voice.  
  
"He wasn't like that when I knew him; I never saw his dark side until I broke the engagement. I am so sorry for what happened," she ended dismally.  
  
Adam, realizing now was not the time to go into all this, stood up off the floor and scooped Penny into his arms, placed her gently on her bed and covered her with a blanket.  
  
"You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied sternly. "That man alone was to blame for everything."  
  
"But if he hadn't come looking for me, Helen would still be alive," Penny countered, the tears finally spilling out of her eyes.  
  
"We don't know that for sure," answered Adam, gently this time. "Accidents happen, too, and even so, you had no way of knowing he was looking for you. I'm telling you again, you have no reason to blame yourself!"  
  
"Thank you, Adam," Penny said with a weak smile. "You always know what to say to make me feel better."  
  
Carefully placing his hand on her bandaged one, Adam leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. "I want you to get some rest now until the doctor comes; I am going to get the body out of here."  
  
As Adam looked down on where George still lay, he noticed something shiny on the floor. Picking it up, he was surprised to discover that it was a diamond ring. Walking over to Penny, he asked where it had come from.  
  
"It was the engagement ring that George gave me," she said, embarrassed that Adam had found it. "He left Boston before I could return it, so I have kept it with me as a reminder not to give my heart so easily to another man. But I guess it didn't work," she added, looking up into Adam's eyes.  
  
"I'm glad it didn't," he replied. "Now we just need to work on getting your hand and finger better, so a different ring from a different person can be placed on it."  
  
But Penny did not hear this last part, for she had fallen asleep right after Adam had said he was glad the ring hadn't worked; keeping her from falling in love again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Alone in his room again, Joe sat on the edge of the bed, trying to absorb the information he had just received. He couldn't decide if it was easier now knowing how Helen died, or if he would have preferred never to have known.  
  
Adam had told him that the fall from the horse was what killed Helen, breaking her neck, so at least she felt no pain when the stranger had hit her head on a rock.  
  
And now the man was dead, but Joe got no satisfaction out of that fact. Perhaps it would have helped if he had been the one to shoot Helen's killer, but it hadn't been him.  
  
He wondered if he would ever truly recover from his loss. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Three days had elapsed since the encounter with George, and Penny's hand and neck were healing nicely. She and Adam had revealed their plans for marriage, and a wedding was being planned for the upcoming months, keeping everyone busy.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In town, a young girl walked down the streets of Virginia City. Everywhere she went, people did a double-take, some looking away rather quickly, others rudely stopping to stare, their jaws hanging open.  
  
The girl was feeling rather embarrassed and self-conscious, but she was hoping that her suspicion of why she was being gawked at was true.  
  
As she stepped into the general store, the owner swallowed hard and quickly cleared his throat.  
  
"Is something the matter," the girl asked.  
  
"You, uh, just look a lot like someone I used to know." The store owner filled out her order, but had a difficult time peeling his eyes from her face the whole time he did so.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Joe," Ben called up the stairs.  
  
Joe walked out to the top of the landing and asked what he was needed for. The only reason why Joe's heart didn't break every time he thought of Helen was that his time was being very consumed by preparations for the future wedding.  
  
Ben knew he had to keep Joe's time occupied, this being the reason why he was presently sending Joe into town.  
  
"Please go get the mail and the papers from the new lumber contract."  
  
"Right, Pa," Joe replied, and went out to saddle Cochise and headed into town.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As the girl gathered all of her items, she turned to the still stunned grocer and asked, "Could you kindly tell me where I might find a family by the name of Ferguson?"  
  
The man nearly gagged and stammered, "Yes'm, they live down on a farm not too far from here, jus' follow the road out that way."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
She then exited the store  
  
Joe was walking along the sidewalk, flipping through the mail, when he slammed into a woman exiting the general store, scattering her things all over the walk.  
  
"I'm so sorry," he said, then looked into the face of the woman before him.  
  
"Helen," he gasped, turning ashen. He blinked back shock before standing up in complete surprise. The combination of standing up so fast and the sight of the woman before him made him slip into a dead faint.  
  
PART 5  
  
"Sir?" The girl gingerly touched the fallen Joe's cheek. "Are you okay?"  
  
People began to gather on the corner to see what the commotion was about.  
  
"Get some water!" someone shouted.  
  
"Who's Helen," the girl asked suddenly to the strangers around her, looking into the faces of the people. "Is her last name Ferguson?"  
  
A couple of them stammered as they caught a full glimpse of her face.  
  
"Why, she looks 'xactly like you," one on-looker finally answered.  
  
"I was hoping you'd say so," she beamed, while still trying to revive Joe. "I think I might be her twin sister!"  
  
As Joe began to come out of his faint, he could just make out the blurry image of someone kneeling beside him, and he was aware of the touch of her soft hand on his cheek. Then he heard her softly cajoling him to wake up. As his vision finally cleared, he quickly sat up and grabbed the arm of the girl that was beside him.  
  
"HELEN!" he shouted. "How can it be? I thought you were dead. I even saw your body! Where have you been?"  
  
The look on Joe's face, and the words he said to her frightened the poor girl, and she pulled away from him and stood up. Joe also jumped to his feet as she replied, "I'm very sorry, but I don't know what you are talking about. Did you say that Helen is dead?"  
  
Grabbing the girl's arm again, Joe said with even more urgency, "What are you talking about, Helen? Is this some kind of twisted game? Tell me what's going on!"  
  
"Please, sir, you are hurting me," she answered, once more pulling away from him. "I tell you, I do not know what you are talking about."  
  
Just then a cowboy stepped out of the crowd that had gathered to watch the strange spectacle and said, "Ma'am, is this man bothering you?" as he removed his hat in a gesture of respect.  
  
"I...I don't really know what's going on," she said, as she looked at Joe with a puzzled expression on her face.  
  
But before she could say more, Joe stepped between her and the cowboy, saying, "This is between me and the lady, mister, so I would advise you to mind your own business!"  
  
"Well, now," replied the cowboy, placing the hat on his head once again, "maybe I am just going to make it my business," and he took a swing at Joe, catching him in the jaw and sending him sprawling as the crowd scattered. Joe quickly shook the cobwebs from his head and jumped up, then rammed his head into the stomach of his foe. With that, the two men began to roll around in the dirt, punches flying faster than the crowd could even keep up with.  
  
Right then, though, Sheriff Coffee pushed his way through the crowd and separated the two men, saying, "Alright, now, what's this all about?"  
  
Joe, still trying to take a swing at the other man, managed to say, "I was trying to talk to Helen, and this cowpoke got in the way!"  
  
"Helen?" Roy asked incredulously. "Are you talking about Helen Ferguson? Why Joe, you know Helen is dead."  
  
"But that's just it, Roy," Joe answered with passion, grabbing a hold of Roy's shirt and practically trying to shake some sense into him, "she isn't dead! She's right over..." and his voice trailed off as he looked around the crowd without finding her.  
  
"She was here just a minute ago," said Joe desperately, letting go of Roy. "I saw her, I talked to her! Other people saw her, too, just ask them!"  
  
"Alright, Joe, we'll get this sorted out soon enough," Roy answered, patting Joe on the back. "But right now I think you had better come with me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Penny had wired her parents as soon as she and Adam had announced their engagement, but now, sitting in her room and re-reading the letter she had received the day before from her father, she almost wished she had not told them until the ceremony was over. Her father was very unhappy about the suddenness of the plans and the fact that he and her mother didn't even know the man she planned to marry. They wanted her to come home for awhile to think things over.  
  
But how could she leave Adam, even for a short time? And asking him to go with her was out of the question, since she knew the reception her parents would give him.  
  
She understood their concern, especially after what happened with George, but she also knew that her father had big plans for whoever married her, and he would not approve of anyone he did not think he could control. And Adam was definitely NOT that kind of person!  
  
She had to think of some way to marry Adam without the blessings of her parents! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roy was convinced that Joe was drunk, but there were absolutely no signs that he had been drinking. The only other answer that he could conceive was that Helen's death had finally pushed the boy over the edge, mentally speaking. He called for Doctor Martin after locking the protesting Joe up in the jail cell and went to go bring back the rest of the Cartwright family while the doctor examined Joe's mental state.  
  
"Now let's go over this again," Doc Martin said in exasperation. "You say that you bumped into Helen coming out of the general store, knocked over her belongings, passed out, and when you woke up, she didn't know who she was, so you got in rough with her, ended up in a fight with another man, and then she just vanished into thin air."  
  
Joe stood up and grabbed the bars of his cell defensively.  
  
"When you say it that way, it makes me sound like a fool!"  
  
"Say it anyway you want, Joe," the doctor countered, "and you'll STILL sound like a fool!"  
  
"That is NOT TRUE," Joe growled.  
  
Right then Ben and Hoss walked in, and Joe looked at them with relief.  
  
"Pa! Hoss! Helen's alive!"  
  
Ben and Hoss exchanged weary glances. Adam, having tethered the horses to the hitching post, sauntered in with the sheriff close at his heels.  
  
"See what I mean, Ben?" The wiry sheriff leaned in close to whisper this information to Ben and the father pulled Roy aside.  
  
"Listen, Roy. Let him go and I'll take him home. We'll try to reason with him there."  
  
Roy hesitated, then gestured for Doc Martin to come and join them.  
  
"Is he fit ta leave, Paul," the sheriff inquired.  
  
"He won't give up the notion that Helen's alive, but I know for a fact she aint," Paul stated. Looking down at his feet, he murmured, "I preformed the autopsy on her myself."  
  
Adam wanted to know, "but can we take him home?"  
  
Joe didn't like how the group was huddled together talking about him in whispers, so he began to yell, kicking the bars and slamming his fist against the wall.  
  
"HELEN'S ALIVE! HELEN'S ALIVE!" Joe's knuckles began to hurt at his continual punching the brick structure, but he didn't care. For the first time since he had found out about Helen's death, he felt alive inside, and his family greeted his newfound sense of life by having him locked in a jail cell and conversing about his mental stability!  
  
The five men all watched Joe's scene in his confined quarters, and Paul reiterated that he wasn't sure if Joe was safe 'in this condition'.  
  
"I want to bring him home, no matter his condition," Ben responded, and the sheriff reluctantly opened the gate to Joe's cell.  
  
Seeing he was being released, Joe quickly composed himself, and, without a word to his family, moseyed out to the horses. He looked at Sport, Adam's horse, and an idea formulated in his mind. With a backwards glance at the men behind him, he mounted Sport and sped away on the able horse.  
  
If they won't believe me about Helen, I'll just have to prove it to them, he mumbled.  
  
"Go after him!" Roy ran to his horse and mounted it, waving his arms for the others to do the same.  
  
Ben and Hoss got onto their horses, and Adam, stunned, watched as they rode away without him. He spied the doctor's horse nearby and, with a fleeting apology to the doctor, he got on its back and raced after his family and the sheriff. Joe took off out of the town headed for the Ferguson farm. If Helen had left town, then she was bound to be on her way to her family.  
  
After a few minutes, Joe spotted a buggy up ahead, and could recognize Helen's long, flowing blonde hair on the girl who was holding the reins to the horses. Joe quickly overtook them, grabbing the bit of one of the horses in order to pull both of the horses up short.  
  
Standing in the buggy, the girl said in frustration, "Please, Mister, let me go. I'm not causing anyone harm, least of all you!"  
  
Looking at her, Joe just KNEW he was looking at Helen, but was puzzled at her words. Glancing behind him, there was no sign of his father or brothers, but he knew they had to be close behind. Fortunately he had chosen the fastest of their horses, next to Cochise, of course.  
  
"I'm not trying to bother you," Joe answered urgently, "and I promise I won't hurt you, but I DO need to talk to you. And I need to do it in private," he added, leading the horses off the road as the girl resignedly sat back down. Not far away was a forested area, and Joe positioned the buggy behind some trees, just as he heard horses rushing down the road nearby.  
  
Climbing off his horse, Joe helped the girl out of the buggy and, with a hand on her back, guided her over to a grassy spot under a large pine tree. She sat down with her back against the tree, while Joe kneeled down in front of her.  
  
Finally speaking, Joe carefully said, "I want to apologize for frightening you earlier. It's just that you look like...like..."  
  
"Helen Ferguson?" the girl finished the sentence for him.  
  
"Yes," answered Joe, in amazement. What on earth is going on here, he wondered.  
  
But before he could say anymore, the girl continued. "I thought that might be the problem, that you were just confused. That's why I was willing to come over here with you to talk," and with that she looked up at something behind Joe, and gasped!  
  
Joe turned to find Adam behind him, sitting on Doctor Martin's horse, staring at 'Helen' with a shocked look on his face.  
  
Joe jumped up and said, "See, Adam, I'm not crazy; Helen is alive!"  
  
Slowly getting off the horse, Adam walked towards the pair, still not taking his eyes off 'Helen'.  
  
"By the way" added Joe, "how did you know I was here?"  
  
Without looking at Joe, Adam answered, "You should know by now that you can never fool your older brother," and he stopped in front of Helen, taking off his hat and saying, "Hello, young lady" to her.  
  
"Hello," she answered back. "So, you are this young man's brother?"  
  
Adam slowly turned to give Joe a puzzled look, then turned back and continued his conversation.  
  
"May I ask where you are from?" he inquired of her.  
  
"I just arrived here today from Boston, and I am on my way to visit the Ferguson family," came the reply.  
  
Squatting down so that he could look the girl directly in the eyes, he said, "My name is Adam Cartwright, and yours is...?"  
  
"I don't know," answered the girl sincerely. "That's what I am here to find out." "You don't know you're own name," Adam stated in disbelief.  
  
Joe was still slightly convinced it was Helen sitting before him, but her face looked a bit thinner than Helen's, almost undernourished. Also, she seemed a fraction taller than her late counterpart.  
  
The girl looked down in embarrassment. "Well, I mean I guess I do have a name, though I don't know it. I...I was an orphan my whole life. I never got adopted, and two years ago I was finally old enough to be set out on my own. I don't have a last name, and I never knew what my first name was. Imagine that no one ever bothered to name me, although people often called me by different nicknames and such." She wrinkled up her freckled nose much the way Helen used to when she didn't like something, and Joe's heart throbbed. "I didn't really like most of the names they gave me."  
  
"Well, so what do people call you," Adam pressed.  
  
"Anything they choose," she replied. "Like I said, I had a name at the orphanage, but it was a mean nickname and I'd prefer not to use it."  
  
"Well, Jane Doe," Adam replied sardonically, "how did you find out about Helen?"  
  
"When they let me go out on my own, I didn't really know where to go. I had no family, and so I found myself working odd jobs, most of which I'm certainly not proud of. Slowly I found my way to Boston, and when I got there about six months ago, many people kept mistaking me for a girl whose last name was Ferguson. After awhile I became curious, and through a lot of persuasion, the orphanage finally told me that I had had a twin sister." Shrugging, she continued. "I don't know much more than that, but my curiosity got the better of me and I've been working my way out here ever since. It's taken me a long time to work up the money to get out here, but I'm hoping it'll be worth it."  
  
Adam and Joe looked at one another, each feeling conflicting emotions. Adam was concerned with how the Ferguson's would take meeting the striking image of Helen, while Joe desperately wanted to throw his arms around her and fall into a fit of unstoppable sobbing.  
  
"Well, Missy," Adam took charge of the situation, seeing his youngest brother was still unable to think straight. "Why don't you come with us. I'll break the ice for Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, and when I think they understand the situation, I'll have Joe accompany you in to meet them."  
  
She nodded, but then paused to ask, "Is it true that Helen's really, ya know..."  
  
Joe diverted his eyes to the ground, and the girl knew the answer before Adam stiffly replied that she had been killed in a riding accident.  
  
"I'm so sorry," she said softly, placing a comforting hand on Joe's shoulder.  
  
He nodded tersely, and Adam led Helen's twin back to the buggy, with Joe dragging his feet behind them.  
  
Joe felt as if he'd lost Helen not once, but twice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam arrived at the Ferguson's farm way ahead of Joe, who had agreed to come along at a slow pace. In the yard outside of his house, Adam saw Mr. Ferguson facing three men who looked extremely uncomfortable: Ben, Hoss and Sheriff Coffee!  
  
Dismounting, Adam joined the group and quickly asked, "Mr. Ferguson, would it be alright if we came inside; I need to talk to all of you about a very serious matter."  
  
Adam was thankful when Mr. Ferguson invited them in, for he felt that it would be best if everyone was sitting down when he told them his story.  
  
After relating to the group (which Mrs. Ferguson had joined when they came into the house) what had occurred in town and in the woods regarding the girl, Adam sat back in his chair, greeted by a stunned silence that lasted for several minutes.  
  
Finally, Mr. Ferguson broke that silence. He looked sadly at his wife, then told the others how Helen had been adopted, but never told about it, and how they had been told that she had a sister, but they never saw the girl and did not realize that it was a TWIN sister. Being quite poor at the time of the adoption, the Fergusons could only afford to take one child, and, regretfully, had never tried to find out what happened to Helen's sister.  
  
With some relief in his voice, Ben replied that he was at least thankful that Joe hadn't lost his mind, but wondered what everyone should do now.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe and the girl rode in silence for awhile, both of them churning over the events of the morning in their minds. Realizing that this girl had had a very hard life, Joe felt he wanted to somehow make it up to her, for Helen' sake as much as hers. But every time he looked at her, a pain shot through his heart.  
  
Finally he did manage to speak to her. "You know, we really can't go around just calling you any old name. Wouldn't you like to choose a name for yourself?"  
  
"It's too hard," replied the girl sadly. "Without knowing anything about myself, I don't have any idea about what would be a fitting name. Would you choose one for me?" she suddenly and eagerly asked, turning to Joe.  
  
Joe gulped, not knowing what to say to this. How could he choose a name for someone that, still in his mind, should be named Helen?  
  
"I don't think that would be a good idea," he finally said, with deep emotion in his voice, "since I really don't know you, either."  
  
"But there must be some name that you like, some name that would start to give me an identity," she begged, eyes wide and hopeful as she looked at Joe. "What is your mother's name?"  
  
Tears welling up in his eyes, Joe struggled to answer, saying in almost a whisper, "My mother died when I was five years old; her name was Marie."  
  
"Then would it please you if I took her name?" the girl requested soberly, still not taking her eyes away from Joe's face. "I don't know," Joe said, looking sullenly over at the twin. "Can I think about it awhile longer?"  
  
The girl was sorry about causing Joe grief over his lost mother, and apologized for being rude. "I'm not much in the way of manners," she said.  
  
Joe smiled lightly and replied, "It's okay. Tell you what. I WILL name you, but you gotta give me some time to get to know you better. 'Till then, we'll just call you Miss or Missy."  
  
She smiled and nodded. "Okay, that sounds good to me."  
  
"What do you like to do for fun," Joe asked, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
The girl's eyes darkened and she said, "I don't rightly know. I've never had any free time, really. I've always wanted to read stories and books.or, or anything for that matter, but I don't know how." Her cheeks turned slightly rosy and she looked away. That was another thing Joe was discovering about her. She seemed really timid, compared to Helen's fiery nature. Maybe she is just nervous, Joe thought, or maybe her life has been harder than I can possibly fathom.  
  
They pulled up in front of the Ferguson's ranch, and Joe helped the twin out of the buggy.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson both exited their quaint farm house, and Mrs. Ferguson gasped, fresh tears springing from her eyes at the sight of the ragged girl before her.  
  
Immediately the couple rushed to her and threw their arms around her, Mrs. Ferguson crying openly.  
  
The girl stood looking slightly uncomfortable with this affection, but soon moved her arms slowly to embrace them, her own eyes beginning to brim with tears.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Mrs. Ferguson whimpered.  
  
"For what?" The girl, slightly taken aback, moved out of their reach so she could look them in the eyes.  
  
"For not adopting you and for separating you from Helen."  
  
"Helen was adopted, too?" The couple nodded, and related the story to her.  
  
"I wish I could have known her," she said sadly.  
  
"Can we.adopt you?" Harold Ferguson asked the question quietly, for fear of rejection.  
  
"Yes!" Crying, the girl threw herself into their waiting arms.  
  
Ben motioned for his sons that they should go, but the girl saw this and pulled back, running over to the Cartwrights and wiping her eyes.  
  
"Thank you so much for what you've already done for me." Turning to Joe, she gave a wide, half-cocked Helen grin, full of mischief and joy. "We have to get together soon. After all, you promised you'd name me."  
  
Joe finally looked her full in the face, and for the first in a long time, he broke into a completely uninhibited grin. Things were going to be okay, he could just feel it. Ben, Hoss and the sheriff accompanied Joe back to town, so Joe could pick up Cochise and Ben and Hoss could take care of some business. Having exchanged horses now with Joe, Adam headed back home. He had noticed that Penny had been quieter than usual the last few days, ever since that letter had arrived from her parents. He had not asked about it, however, hoping that she would bring up whatever was bothering her. But since she hadn't, he decided to go talk to her while everyone else was away from the house.  
  
Upon reaching his destination, Adam dismounted Sport, tied him to the post, and went into the house. Not seeing Penny upon entering, he went upstairs to her room, but found the door open and no one there. Back downstairs, he went to the kitchen where he found Hop Sing, who told him that Penny had been headed for the barn about 30 minutes before Adam got back.  
  
Penny had climbed up to the hayloft, wanting some place different to go and think. She knew she had to share what was in her father's letter with Adam, because she never wanted to keep secrets from him. The problem was how to explain to him what her father was like, and how she felt about it all.  
  
In the midst of her musings, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the barn door opening and a very familiar voice calling, "Penny, are you in here?"  
  
Penny wasn't sure she was ready for this yet, but did not want to hide from Adam, so she replied, "I'm up here."  
  
Looking upward, Adam was surprised that Penny was in the loft, but climbed up there nevertheless to find out what was going on.  
  
He found his fiancée lying on her stomach in a pile of loose hay with a downcast look on her face. Plopping down beside her, Adam took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and turned her head to face him.  
  
"Now where is that beautiful smile that I enjoy so much," he asked lightly, and got enough of a response to continue. "I've been worried about you lately; is there anything you would like to talk to me about?"  
  
"Yes," she replied, feeling more at ease now that Adam was by her side. "It's about the letter my father wrote to me. He doesn't approve of this marriage, and wants me to come back to Boston to think about it for awhile. At least, that's what he says. But I know from experience that he only wants to talk me out of marrying you, and steer me in a different direction. I know he won't be able to do that, though, so I don't want to bother going through the motions."  
  
Taking a piece of hay and thoughtfully chewing on it for a minute, Adam then asked, "Is there any good reason why he wouldn't want you to marry me?"  
  
Penny gave a rather disdainful laugh before replying, "Only that you don't live in Boston and you wouldn't end up being a lackey for my father!"  
  
"Is that what George was, a lackey," Adam inquired, thinking that the word didn't fit the man he had heard about, and had ended up killing.  
  
"George knew what my father wanted, and pretended to be that kind of man. Both of them just wanted to use me for their own purposes, and I refuse to go through anything like that again," Penny said adamantly.  
  
"Then what is it YOU want to do for yourself," Adam asked quietly.  
  
"Get married, and spend the rest of my life on the Ponderosa!" came Penny's quick answer.  
  
"Then that's exactly what we will do," Adam said laughingly, as he pulled her to him and they began to kiss.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At about this same time, two stages arrived in Virginia City, and a very well-dressed, older gentleman got off the stage that had finally brought him to his destination from Boston, where he had begun the journey. Off the other stage stepped a well-dressed middle-aged woman, who had begun her journey from San Francisco. Without knowing it, both were there to see a Cartwright, but they both had very different reasons for their visits, and very different Cartwrights to see. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The girl looked at the Ferguson's across the dinner table; her soon-to-be parents, once she had a proper name and they could file the correct paperwork.  
  
She had been right when she said she didn't have good manners, as she proved with her lack of etiquette at the dinner table. Harold and Fran decided that they could work on her manners later, however, for the poor girl seemed starved. She devoured everything placed in front of her, and then some. When she had finished, she leaned back in her chair contentedly and belched quite femininely, leaving both Harold and Fran speechless.  
  
The girl looked up, caught the shock on their features, and quickly grew embarrassed.  
  
"I'm so sorry, I..."  
  
Harold didn't want to make her uncomfortable; after all she had never had parents to teach her right from wrong. "Don't think twice about it." He waved the rude behavior aside with a swipe of his hand.  
  
She studied their faces for disapproval, and even though she didn't find any, she felt she couldn't stay in the confines of the house any longer.  
  
"I'll be back," she stated simply, not asking for the proper approval to leave the table, much less the ranch!  
  
Fran merely shook her head in amusement as the girl half-skipped out of the house.  
  
Once she was outside, she got the buggy she had borrowed from town and rode aimlessly about, eventually ending up back in town, right as Joe was riding out.  
  
"Hello, Miss," he yelled to her.  
  
"Hey, Joe!"  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
She scrunched her face up and replied, "I hate being in one spot for too long. It makes me uncomfortable, so I decided to go for a ride."  
  
Joe smiled to himself. So she must have been shy...she definitely DOES have Helen's impetuous nature!  
  
"Let's talk," Joe suggested, getting onto the buggy after tying Cochise to the buggy.  
  
The girl smiled at him and glanced around happily as they left town.  
  
When they came to a stop in a deserted area, Joe placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.  
  
She looked at him with fear in her eyes as he went to plant a kiss on her lips. She ducked and jumped off the buggy, eyes wild.  
  
"I'm sorry," Joe quickly apologized. "I'm just...with Helen I..."  
  
Her lips and face registered a total pouting and angered expression, so Joe abandoned explaining himself.  
  
"Please forgive me," he stated miserably.  
  
She looked down at her feet before glancing up again.  
  
"No, no. I should be the one apologizing. I know Helen's death must be hard on you." She smirked. "I wish I could change my face. For so long I have wanted to be part of a family. Now I find out I have a sister, and she's gone! I guess some people are just destined to be outcasts."  
  
Joe slid out of the buggy and walked slowly to her until they were about a foot away from one another.  
  
"I don't believe that. Not if you don't let yourself be an outcast." Advancing toward her a bit more, he finished, "I think that I could help you be a part of a family."  
  
The girl looked up at her, a suggestive gleam in her eyes, and she slid her arms around Joe's broad shoulders, kissing him passionately.  
  
Pulling her close to his body, tightly so as to never let her go, Joe showed that he had no objections.  
  
Nearby, the horses whinnied and looked away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile, the gentleman from Boston was signing the name of Douglas Green on the hotel registry. Upon receiving the key to his room, he inquired as to where he might locate a man named Adam Cartwright. After getting directions to the Ponderosa, he turned to go upstairs but was stopped by the woman who had just arrived from San Francisco.  
  
"Excuse me, sir," she said politely, "but I couldn't help overhearing your inquiry about a certain Mr. Cartwright. I have business with that young man's father, Benjamin. Perhaps we could go to the Ponderosa together?"  
  
"Well now, ma'am, that would be fine with me," answered the gentleman, taking off his hat to the lady, "but I wasn't planning on going out there until tomorrow morning."  
  
"Oh, that would be alright for me." she answered with a dazzling smile, and just a hint of flirtation. "Perhaps we could meet for dinner tonight in the hotel dining room to discuss our plans, say around seven o'clock?"  
  
"I will be looking forward to it," Mr. Green answered, bowing slightly, then heading up the stairs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
When Ben and Hoss arrived back at the ranch, they were surprised that Joe wasn't already there, since he left town long before them. Adam wasn't around either, but it was Joe that Ben was thinking about.  
  
"Pa," Hoss asked, "what do you think about that twin gal of Helen's? She seemed real nice."  
  
"Yes, she did," relied Ben. "And there's no doubt that she has had a hard life, so I do feel sorry for her."  
  
"Yeah, but it should get better now, with the Ferguson's takin' her in like they are."  
  
"I hope so," Ben said, but with a worried look on his face. "It's Joe I'm actually concerned about."  
  
"He seemed better goin' back to town," Hoss answered with a laugh. "Guess he was glad to find out he weren't going crazy!"  
  
"True," said Ben. "But Joe's emotions are still very fragile, and I'm afraid that having this girl around to constantly remind him of Helen could just push him over the edge. Besides, we don't really know what she is like, so I would prefer that Joe stay away from her."  
  
"Well, you can wish all you want to, Pa," answered Hoss. "But you can just bet that Joe will do whatever he wants to do about her!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The girl giggled as she whispered into Joe's ear, and he smirked, laughing in exuberance.  
  
Memories of Helen were slowly being pushed into the back of Joe's mind by this vivacious twin sitting next to him. Time had long since passed for Joe to be on his way home, but time was the furthest thing from his thoughts.  
  
Joe looked at the lovely girl before him, so much like Helen, yet different in her own special way, and he realized how much he loved her. Sure, they had only met earlier today, but he felt as if he had known her forever.  
  
"Marie is perfect," he finally stated.  
  
"Hmm?" the girl answered, twirling a blade of grass between her fingers, lost in a daydream.  
  
"I told you that my mother's name was Marie, and you asked if you should be named after my mother."  
  
"Yes..." the girl said cautiously, her attention now off the grass blade and fully absorbed in Joe.  
  
"Well I think that's a perfect name for you! My father always told me how fiery and beautiful my mother was, and you definitely fit both!"  
  
"Marie," she felt the name on her lips.  
  
"Marie!" Joe repeated the name.  
  
"I like it," she exalted. Leaning over she threw her arms around Joe's neck and they proceeded to kiss. In the midst of their passionate embrace, neither heard the advancing horses.  
  
"Joseph!" Ben scoured down at finding his youngest son on a deserted part of the rode with this twin girl, of all people, kissing as if there were no tomorrow.  
  
"Pa!" Joe quickly stood and looked down at the ground in embarrassment.  
  
Marie, also embarrassed, stood and gave an innocent, almost angelic smile to Ben. Ben glared at her in stern disapproval.  
  
"Pa, I finally named her," Joe said, smiling.  
  
"Oh?" Ben raised in eyebrow in expectation.  
  
"Marie!"  
  
"You named her what?!?" Ben's face began to turn red in anger. This girl seemed to be anything but a lady, and now she was to be named after his third wife?  
  
Ben got off of Buck and strode purposefully over to the young pair, Marie half-hiding behind Joe. She had been with enough angry people to recognize the flames in Ben's eyes.  
  
Ben grabbed Joe by the upper arm and roughly pulled his son towards him.  
  
"Joe, get on Cochise right now," he ordered.  
  
Joe complied unhappily after untying his horse from Marie's buggy.  
  
"As for you," Ben hissed, pointing a finger in the girl's face. "You've been nothing but trouble. Keep the name if you must, but leave my son alone!" As Ben advanced, Marie drew back, tears in her eyes. "You hear me?" he growled.  
  
"Ye.Ye...Yes sir," she stuttered in fright. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the trip back home, Joe made sure Cochise stayed several steps behind Buck. Joe had been in plenty of hot water before with his father, but he had never seen Ben as angry as he was right now. Joe did not relish the thought of what he would have to face when he got back to the ranch house!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After his father left to look for Joe, Hoss untied Chubb from the post and started into the barn. Unexpectedly, he heard some noise above his head and he looked up into the hayloft, but couldn't see anything. He stood still for a moment, trying to decide if he should call out, or just climb up there to see what was going on. Deciding the element of surprise would work best, he started up the ladder. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
In the meantime, Douglas Green, Penny's father, was enjoying a delightful meal with the beautiful Mrs. Violet Templeton, a widow who, until recently, had allowed her business manager to handle all her affairs. However, upon discovering that the man had been swindling her for some time now, she had made certain that he would spend most of his remaining days in prison. Now she was taking care of business herself, and had come to Virginia City to speak with Ben Cartwright about some land adjacent to his.  
  
In turn, Mr. Green had explained how his impetuous daughter had come out here for a visit, and managed to get herself engaged to Mr. Cartwright's son in just a matter of a few weeks. He explained that he had come out to reason with her and to take her back to Boston with him.  
  
Neither, however, told the whole story as to why they were there, nor did they mention how they were thinking that the other person might come in handy when they executed their plans! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Hoss reached the top of the ladder, he peeked his eyes over the top and felt his heart melt at the sight that greeted him.  
  
Adam was leaning against a pole, one arm draped conveniently around Penny's shoulders. She sat, leaning against him, holding his hand and playing gently with his fingers. Adam spoke softly, and Hoss had to lean forward to hear what they were talking about.  
  
"...and then we'll have children..."  
  
"Children?" Penny's voice was quiet and sweet like Adam's.  
  
"Mmm-hmm," he answered. "As many as you want."  
  
Penny laughed softly. "At least two."  
  
"At least?"  
  
Penny's laughter lit up her face as she added, "Well, maybe three." Her dark eyes danced at Adam's amused gaze.  
  
"Well, no matter," Adam finished. "We'll have kids, and after that..."  
  
Hoss smiled to himself and decided to leave them alone, climbing quietly back down the ladder. Just then he heard shouting outside in the yard, and he decided to snoop on that conversation, as well.  
  
"But Pa, I LOVE her," Joe ranted.  
  
"Don't you give me that speech," Ben reprimanded as he tied Buck to the hitching post. "I INVENTED that speech!"  
  
Joe jumped off Cochise, anger creasing his face.  
  
"So then you know what it feels like to have someone tell you you're not allowed to love, hmm?" Joe's hazel eyes gleamed in defiance, and he cocked his head slightly to emphasize his point.  
  
Adam and Penny, up in the loft, heard the commotion and silently made their way down to where Hoss listened to his brother and father's heated conversation. They listened intently, hand in hand, as well.  
  
"Young man," Ben began, rubbing the bridge of his nose in obvious frustration, "I know Helen's death was hard on you, but that's all the more reason why you shouldn't go running after this look-alike Helen you named Marie!"  
  
Hoss, Adam, and Penny exchanged glances that read 'Marie? Did Joe really name the girl Marie?' (Adam had already informed Penny all about the twin, but Penny hadn't wanted to meet her, at least not yet...the pain of Helen's death still too fresh.)  
  
Adam decided he should try to intervene on behalf of his exasperated father. Letting go of Penny, he stepped out to where his brother could see him.  
  
"Joe, maybe Pa's right on this one." Walking over and putting a hand on Joe's shoulder, he finished with, "after all, we really know nothing about this girl's past. For all we know, she could be some low-down saloon girl who just tries to get some sympathy with a pathetic orphanage story!"  
  
Joe's eyes flashed in rage and his jaw set in anger. With one hand grabbing Adam's arm on his shoulder, he used the other to punch Adam square in the face, sending his older brother sprawling.  
  
"Joseph!" Ben stepped in to protect his eldest, but was only met with a slam in the face as well.  
  
"You don't understand," Joe yelled as he sprinted to Cochise, jumped on her back, and kicked the horse into a full gallop.  
  
For a few seconds, Hoss and Penny stood like statues, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Hoss had seen Joe and Adam fight before, but none of the brothers had ever dared to lay a hand on their father!  
  
Recovering their composure, Penny went over to check on Adam, who was sitting on the ground rubbing his face, which was still tender from having recently broken his nose. Hoss went over to Ben, but Ben brushed aside Hoss' attempt to help him up, muttering under his breath as he got up by himself and went into the house.  
  
"I am NOT going to let Joe ruin his life over some misguided feelings towards this...this...new girl that seems to have taken Helen's place!" Ben roared to no one in particular.  
  
When Adam and Penny joined Ben and Hoss, Ben told the threesome about how he had found Joe with the girl, and how Joe had informed him that he had named her 'Marie'.  
  
"That just don't make no sense," said Hoss, with a puzzled look on his face, "giving her the name of his ma."  
  
"Nothing makes sense about any of this," Ben answered, anger still burning within him.  
  
"But it does make sense," answered Adam, wanting to calm his father down. "Joe just lost the woman he loved in the same manner in which he lost his mother. Now, in a strange way, he can feel like he has both of them back in some manner, and thus have some control over his life."  
  
"I DON'T CARE WHAT HE THINKS," Ben roared again, not having found any comfort whatsoever in Adam's analysis of the situation. "I just want things ended immediately between Joe and..." But Ben broke off the sentence, choking at the thought of having to call her by the name that meant so much to him.  
  
"Perhaps I could have a talk with her," offered Penny. "I might be able to find out more about her, and possibly reason with her about what is going on with Joe these days."  
  
"And we could wire the orphanage she says she came from and see what they have to say about her," added Adam.  
  
With some actual steps towards action being proposed, Ben finally was able to calm down a bit, and the four of them began to decide how to best go about handling the problem.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe rode for quite awhile before even thinking about where he might be going. He knew that hitting his brother and father was wrong, but he was so angry at the world right now that he was unable to feel any guilt at what he had done.  
  
When he eventually slowed Cochise down, he realized that he was about halfway between town and the Ferguson farm. He wanted to see Marie again, but didn't want to upset the Fergusons. He also thought it would feel good to get a beer at the saloon, but he didn't really want to be around a lot of people right now. So he just sat there, staring into the darkness that surrounded him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mrs. Ferguson clucked her tongue in disapproval as she saw her soon-to-be daughter riding in. The girl had been gone for hours, and Fran could already see the dirt on the girl's dress from this distance.  
  
As she pulled up, Helen's twin jumped from the horse and ran to Fran, ecstatic, but afraid to show it.  
  
"Joe named me," she quickly blurted.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"He named me Marie." Marie held her chin slightly aloft with the pride that the name contained.  
  
"Marie." Fran smiled despite her frustration at the girl's dirtiness. After a moment of pondering why the name sounded familiar, she questioned, "Wasn't that Joe's mother's name?"  
  
"Yes. Joe named me after his mother."  
  
"Does Ben know about this," Fran asked quietly.  
  
Marie frowned. "Yes. He's not happy about it. Or me, for that matter."  
  
"Oh, honey." Gently Fran put her arms around Marie's shoulders and pulled her close. "Tell me all about it while we get you cleaned up." Fran shot another glance at the soiled dress, and secretly wondered what Marie had been doing in order to receive the grass stains which covered her garment.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A knock on the door interrupted Ben from reading his book, which he wasn't really concentrating on, anyway. Penny was upstairs getting ready to go to sleep, while Hoss and Adam had retreated into town in order to get a wire off to several orphanages in hopes of clearing Ben's doubts about Marie.  
  
Ben opened the door, and was shocked to see Robert, Helen's old boyfriend standing before him.  
  
"Mr. Cartwright," he greeted Ben solemnly.  
  
"Hello, Robert," was Ben's cautious reply. "Would you like to come in?"  
  
Robert shook his head slowly. "No, sir. I was actually hoping I could talk to Joe. Is he around?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry, but he's not. Anything I can tell him for you?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Robert replied, pulling his cowboy hat off his head and wiping his brow. His complexion looked considerably better than the last time Ben had seen him. "I wanted to apologize to him for attacking him when I found out about Helen. I loved her very much, and I over-reacted. I'm almost cured now, the doctor says, so I'm going back to Boston. There's nothing for me out here, 'cept if Helen had a twin or something!"  
  
Ben shot Robert a sideways glance. Obviously the man didn't know about Marie.  
  
"Helen DOES have a twin," Ben informed Robert.  
  
Robert scoffed at this suggestion. "No she don't. I've known her a long time."  
  
"Helen never even knew," Ben replied, then told all about Marie.  
  
"You say she's at the Ferguson ranch," Robert asked eagerly.  
  
Ben nodded and smiled, while ideas of getting Marie and Robert together and Joe out of the picture churned deviously in his mind.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright," Robert replied excitedly, replacing his hat and quickly heading to his waiting horse. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Joe had finally settled on the idea of getting a beer, planning to just sit in a corner of the saloon by himself. After buying the drink and settling into a chair, Joe took in the sights of the room. A high stakes poker game was apparently going on at one table, and the other tables were mostly filled with both cowhands and businessmen mingling with the working girls.  
  
At the bar, however, Joe noticed a man who seemed familiar, and he tried to think of where he knew him from. Of course, he thought as he continued to study the man, it was the same person whom he had fought with over the girl he thought was Helen, before Joe knew who she really was.  
  
Getting up and approaching the bar, Joe tapped the man on the shoulder. When he turned around, Joe asked, "Remember me?" and immediately punched the man in the stomach.  
  
Turning to walk away, Joe was caught off-guard as the man lunged at his feet and caused him to fall to the floor, face forward. Joe turned over just as the man jumped on him, and they started rolling around throwing punches, just as they had earlier in the day. Tables and chairs and people went scattering as they fought, and the sound of broken glass could be heard from the street.  
  
Adam and Hoss, walking nearby, went over to see what all the commotion was about, and arrived just in time to see Joe take a blow to the jaw that knocked him clean out. They calmly walked over to Joe, Adam lifting him up by the arms and Hoss carrying his feet, and they took him outside and laid him across Cochise. It was then decided that Adam would escort Joe home, while Hoss stayed overnight in town to continue looking for information about Marie.  
  
PART 6  
  
Ben was thankful to have his youngest son home and safely sleeping in his own bed, even if he was a sight with his bruises and a swollen eye. At least, thought Ben, he isn't in any danger right now, from himself OR from that girl.  
  
Ben had gone to bed soon after Joe had been brought in, but Adam had stayed downstairs to read. Not able to concentrate on his book with any more success than his father had been having that evening, he finally put the book aside, picking up his guitar instead. At first he just strummed it quietly, then hummed along with the tunes, finally breaking into quiet singing.  
  
After a while, and without turning around in his favorite blue chair, Adam said, "You might as well come on down and join me."  
  
Surprised, Penny got off the step she was sitting on and came down the rest of the steps, going to the hearth to sit beside Adam, with a roaring fire behind her. "How did you know I was there?" she asked with surprise in her voice. "I thought I was being very careful not to disturb you."  
  
"I'm afraid you are the only one in this household who doesn't know where all the creaks are on the stairs," Adam replied with a twinkle in his eye. "That knowledge is how we have managed over the years to leave the house without being heard. But don't worry, I can teach you where the stairs creak, in case you ever want to get away from me."  
  
"How could you ever think such a thing!" Penny replied, laughing lightly. "I just came down now because I haven't been able to sleep, what with worrying about Joe and your father and Helen's twin."  
  
"And worrying about our wedding plans, too?" Adam added.  
  
"A little, but talking to you today helped me feel much better about that."  
  
"I'm glad I could be of service," replied Adam. "You just leave everything about wedding plans to me. Now, why don't you let me see if I can sing you to sleep."  
  
Penny liked the sound of that plan, and before long Adam's wonderful voice, plus the warmth of the fireplace behind her, had Penny asleep with her head on the arm of Adam's chair. Seeing that his plan had had the desired effect on her, Adam lifted Penny carefully into his arms and carried her up to her room, tucking her into bed before retiring to his room for the night. And all the while he was thinking of how nice it would be when she was finally his wife, and the sooner the better as far as he was concerned! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marie was now washed up and feeling quite odd. She was wearing one of Helen's old garments, and it was a smidgen too big for her. Fran had attributed it to Marie's undernourishment.  
  
She stood there looking at herself in the mirror by the lantern-light; it had been so long since she had been not only clean but wearing a beautiful dress as well.  
  
As Marie continued to straighten the dress and twirl around before her own image, Harold came and knocked on her door.  
  
"Marie, honey, someone's here to see you." There was a hint of question in his voice as he called to the girl.  
  
"Coming!" Marie strode purposefully out to where her father was, talking to a well-dressed man of roughly her age. He was handsome, though certainly not breath-taking, and she smiled as she walked towards him. He, on the other hand, stared at her with obvious shock, his mouth slightly ajar.  
  
"Uh, excuse me, ma'am, I don't believe we've met. I'm Robert Peterson. I know Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson from Boston. Helen and I were, uh, an item at one point in time."  
  
"Really?" Eager for any connection she could have with her twin, Marie looped her arm in Robert's and invited him outside to talk.  
  
"So what was she like?" Marie asked, once they were outside.  
  
Robert leaned against a fence post and smiled in the moonlight. "She had the sweetest disposition. Always ready to help others before herself...matter of fact, she helped me fight off a bought with malaria!"  
  
"Seriously?" Marie was wide-eyed and hanging on every one of Robert's words.  
  
"Seriously! But just because she was kind didn't mean she didn't have her wild moments!" Robert smiled at distant memories, then shook himself out of them to study the girl next to him, eagerly waiting to hear more about her unknown twin. Robert grinned at her wide, excited eyes and continued. "She was just as beautiful as you are."  
  
Marie giggled and leaned back. "I always knew I had a sister," she confided. "But little did I know I had a twin! It just always felt like a part of me was missing, and when I finally found out about Helen, that missing piece was suddenly put into place. But enough about me.what else was she like?"  
  
Robert looked longingly at Marie. She resembled her sister so much. Robert had vowed to himself, while Helen was still alive, to not let anything--or anyone--ever take Helen away from him. When she had died, that promise had evaporated. But now that Marie had been discovered, Robert felt as if he could finally fulfill his vow.  
  
"Robert? What else was she like," Marie inquired yet again. The way Robert was looking at her was making her uncomfortable.  
  
"Let me show you something," Robert finally began, gently taking Marie's hand and leading her to where his horse was.  
  
"I should tell the Fergusons..." Marie began.  
  
"It'll only take a minute," Robert coaxed, beginning to drag Marie rather than guide her.  
  
Despite her intuition telling her not to come along, Marie did anyways, be it ever so reluctantly.  
  
Robert mounted his horse, then pulled Marie up behind him, and they went racing off into the night.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The pounding on the door was so loud and so persistent that it awakened the entire household. Since Adam was still up, he got down to the door first, but Ben, Joe and Penny weren't too far behind him.  
  
Opening the door, Adam discovered Mr. Ferguson standing there, with a very frightened look on his face.  
  
"Adam," he said urgently, grabbing Adam's arm. "Are they here; have you seen them?"  
  
"Calm down, Mr. Ferguson," Adam replied, "Who is it you are looking for?"  
  
"ROBERT AND MARIE", the older man practically screamed. "They took off on Robert's horse, and I don't know if Marie went willingly or not!"  
  
"Adam," Ben called from the top of the stairs. "Saddle your horse and start looking for them. I'll look, too, as soon as I get dressed."  
  
Adam grabbed his gun belt and went rushing out the door, Mr. Ferguson following close behind.  
  
"I'm going too," declared Joe as he turned to head back to his room to change.  
  
"Oh, no you're not, "Ben countered, grabbing his youngest by the arm and roughly turning Joe to face him. "You are in enough trouble for one evening, young man, and you are going to leave this to Adam and me. Penny," Ben continued, looking over her way, "see that Joseph does not go out of the house tonight, even if it means you have to hogtie him to something!"  
  
As Ben went back into his bedroom, Joe headed on down the hall to his room, leaving Penny with a look of perplexity on her face. But knowing that Joe was not going to obey his father, Penny finally ran to do the only thing she could think of to do; get dressed and go with Joe.  
  
"Joe," Penny called out as soon as she finished dressing. Joe was waltzing down the hallway, ignoring the girl who was following him. "I know I can't stop you, Joe, so I'm coming with you."  
  
Joe turned on his heel and scowled at Penny, then walked towards her. "Listen...I can take care of myself. I appreciate you wanting to help, but you getting killed won't do any good for anybody!"  
  
"I want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do, Joe! Helen was my BEST FRIEND! Even though I've never met this supposed twin of hers, she's still a piece of Helen, and I don't want to loose her before we even have one conversation together."  
  
Joe looked Penny up and down before nodding slowly. "Okay. But if I tell you to stay out of trouble, you listen, okay?"  
  
"Yes, Joe," Penny agreed, then rolled her eyes at him once his back was turned.  
  
The two raced off together.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Where are we going, Robert," Marie asked. It had been well over an hour, and she was starting to get all jittery. Night was at its peak, and the sun would be rising in just a few more hours.  
  
"Not too much longer," Robert replied hastily.  
  
"Thought it was just gonna take a few minutes."  
  
"T'is," was the only answer Marie received.  
  
Her curiosity and adventure got the better of her, however, so she decided just to sit and enjoy the ride, pushing all her fear out of the way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "We can't follow their tracks at night, Harold," Ben insisted.  
  
"Oh, Ben," Harold whined, "I've already lost Helen! Marie has been like a second chance to bring my daughter back, and I can't even take care of her for one day!"  
  
Ben felt slightly responsible for telling Robert about Marie, but said nothing of this to Harold. Instead, he walked over and placed a comforting hand on the man's sagging shoulder.  
  
"That's where you went wrong," Ben stated softly. "Marie can help heal your wounds, yes, but you have to keep Helen alive through your memories, not through her twin!"  
  
Harold looked up, silent understanding in his eyes. "You're right, Ben. But I still want to find Marie."  
  
"Of course you do. We'll set out at first light."  
  
Adam nodded his consent.  
  
"I'll try and find Hoss so he can help us." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Penny was trying to get the same fact through Joe's thick skull that Ben had pointed out to Harold; you cannot follow tracks in the dark! But Joe refused to listen to reason, determining NOT to let several hours go to waste before looking for Marie. He had known from the first moment he had heard Robert's name that he was going to be trouble, not to mention their one ghastly encounter. Helen may have cared about him, but Joe didn't trust him for a second; Marie would have never gone off with him of her own free will!  
  
As Joe and Penny began backtracking from near the Ferguson's home, they heard a horse coming towards them. Thinking it might be the man he was looking for, Joe drew his gun cocked it and ordered the rider to halt.  
  
"Joe, it's me, Adam, so don't shoot. What are you doing out here all alone; come to think of it, what are you doing out here at all; Pa said he had left orders for you to stay home."  
  
Penny came riding up beside Joe, answering Adam's first question by saying, "He's not exactly alone, Adam. When I couldn't get him to stay in the house, I decided to come with him."  
  
"Well that was a foolish thing for both of you to do!" Adam answered with frustration. "What do you think you are going to accomplish stumbling around here in the dark?"  
  
"I'm going to rescue Marie," Joe said with determination in his voice, spurring his horse back into action.  
  
"What do we do now?" Penny asked Adam as Joe disappeared into the darkness.  
  
"There's nothing we can do for Joe," Adam answered wearily. "You come with me into town to find Hoss, and we'll start looking again in the morning."  
  
"I'm sorry I upset you, Adam," Penny replied, "but I was afraid for Joe to go off on his own."  
  
"I understand," said Adam, "I feel the same way."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arriving at the hotel in Virginia City, Adam went upstairs to wake Hoss. Penny sat in a chair in the lobby, knowing there was no use in her getting a room for what was left of the night. She was too concerned about Joe and Marie to be able to sleep anymore.  
  
As she sat there, she suddenly heard a voice upstairs that caused her to feel light headed; she was certain it was the voice of her father, and he was arguing with Adam!  
  
Penny stood and cautiously walked up the stairs to find out what was happening.  
  
Douglas Green had accidentally ran into Adam, then blurted, "Watch where you're going."  
  
To which Adam had replied calmly, "I didn't bump into you, Mister."  
  
Douglas looked over him and stated, "Even if you didn't bump into me, don't you know that you should respect your elders? And if that means apologizing when you don't think you're the one at fault, then so be it!"  
  
Adam irritably rubbed his nose and simply countered, "Sorry, sir, but that's not the way I was taught."  
  
"That's the problem with this part of the country," Douglas exploded. "You are all so uncivilized."  
  
Adam's jaw tightened at being thought of as uncivilized, but refused to let his emotions get the better of him; he had a much more important mission to accomplish. As he turned, he saw Penny scamper towards the man who had run into him saying softly, "Daddy?"  
  
Adam was shocked and dismayed all at once. He was hoping he could prove to Penny's father he could take care of Penny without having to follow Mr. Green around like a lost puppy dog, but their first encounter was a rough one.  
  
"Penny!" Mr. Green ran over and happily threw his arms around his daughter.  
  
"Daddy, I'd like you to meet someone." Mr. Green frowned slightly, knowing that whoever her fiancé was would probably be the one he would be soon introduced to. Gesturing toward Adam while still keeping an arm around her father's back, she said, "Daddy, this is Adam Cartwright, my fiancé. Adam, this is my father, Douglas Green."  
  
Hoss had heard the yelling exchange between Adam and Douglas Green earlier, so he was just now coming out of his room, dressed and ready, as the introduction was being made.  
  
"You mean," Mr. Green muttered, "This...insolate BEAST is what you wonna marry?"  
  
Adam's jaw clenched and unclenched, but he kept his cool.  
  
Ignoring her father's comment, Penny added, "And this is Hoss Cartwright, Adam's brother. Hoss, this is my father."  
  
"Not only is he," Mr. Green pointed at Adam, "a beast, but his brother's an ape!"  
  
Hoss glowered at being called an ape, but seeing that Adam was undisturbed by the name calling, he chose just to stand silently and matched his facial expression to the nonchalant one of his older brother.  
  
Penny walked over to Adam and rested a hand on his shoulder. Trying to be a mediator, she said, "Daddy, Adam's not an insolate beast, nor is he uncivilized! Right now YOU'RE the one who's yelling and making a fuss, and Adam's just standing here, not doing anything to provoke you!"  
  
"Huh, just standing there like a man without a backbone," Mr. Green scoffed.  
  
"Daddy! You're being unreasonable! You haven't even met Adam! He's not a beast!"  
  
"Me either!" Hoss added, seeing Penny wasn't gonna defend the ape comment made towards him.  
  
Mr. Green scowled at the three of them before striding over to grab Penny by her elbow. "We need to talk."  
  
Penny shot an apologetic glance at Adam and Hoss as she allowed her father to drag her downstairs.  
  
Standing by Adam's side and watching Penny's father pull her down the hallway, Hoss asked, "Ain't ya gonna stop them, Adam; Mr. Green seems awful mad."  
  
Even though there was anger in Adam's eyes, he replied, "No, Hoss, I might just make things worse. Besides, Penny should have the opportunity to work this out herself. But if she can't..." and he left the thought unfinished. Instead he turned to Hoss, saying "Right now I need to talk to you about something that's happened. Let's go back in your room."  
Penny's father roughly pulled her over to a corner in the downstairs of the hotel, pushing her into a chair and kneeling down beside her with his mouth close to her ear, so that no one could overhear what he had to say.  
  
"Now you listen to me," he began, "I have big plans for you, and this Adam Cartwright is not a part of them, at least not in the long run!"  
  
"What do you mean, daddy?" Penny asked with fear in her voice due to the tone in which her father was speaking to her; she had never seen him act this way before.  
  
"I mean," her father answered menacingly, "that the only thing your boyfriend is good for is money, and lots of it. I have worked hard all my life and still have nothing compared with those Cartwrights, and I am not going to go on living like I have been. I INTEND to get what's due me."  
  
"But, daddy," Penny pleaded. "The Cartwrights have nothing to do with how your life has been. Why would you think that they owe you something?"  
  
"Because those kind of people are all alike, looking down on us poor working folks. But this time I am not going to take it!"  
  
Penny was very frightened now, for it sounded like her father had gone completely mad! Again, she begged, "Daddy, please! Adam is a good, kind man who has also worked hard for what he has. We love each other. Please just go back home and leave us alone."  
  
"Oh, you will be alone, all right, if you don't cooperate with me in this. Accidents happen in the best of families, and a terrible one could easily befall Adam Cartwright."  
  
Hoping to calm her father down by attempting to appease him, Penny asked, "What is it that you want me to do?"  
  
"First of all," answered her father with a wicked grin on his face, "we are going to go have a little talk with the sheriff, after I tell you EXACTLY what you are to say to him!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Joe felt Cochise panting underneath him and knew he had to stop, despite his will to find Marie. He dismounted and began to pet the horse's neck gently.  
  
"I'm sorry, buddy, I know I've been pushing you a little too hard tonight. But I'll make it up to you, I promise."  
  
Joe led Cochise over to a small stream so she could quench her thirst, and he watched as the twilight was beginning to launch itself into pre-morning dusk. Above the soft gurgling of the water, he thought he heard voices.  
  
After securing Cochise to a branch, he whipped out his gun and snuck between bushes and trees to find the source of the noise. Even though light was beginning to peak through the trees, it was hard to make out any definable shapes.  
  
Finally, he thought he spotted some movement.  
  
"So what did you want to show me," Marie was tentatively asking.  
  
"C'mon, C'mon," Robert urged, pulling Marie with him.  
  
Joe was confused...he was sure that Marie was being forced to go with Robert against her will. He decided to watch further.  
  
Robert pulled Marie with him towards the water. She was reluctant to follow and truthfully very tired. She had expected to be gone for only a few minutes, and instead the whole night had gone by without them returning!  
  
When they reached the edge of the stream, Robert stopped and pointed through the trees.  
  
"You see that stretch of land right there, Marie?"  
  
"Yes..." Marie answered cautiously, still not sure why he had wanted her along in the first place.  
  
"Wouldn't it be a lovely place to live on, in a small cabin? I've already checked with the land office, and no one owns it, yet! I plan on buying it and building a house and bringing my wife back there."  
  
"You're married?" Marie asked in surprise.  
  
"Not just yet, but the woman I'm planning on marrying is young and beautiful, and I'm looking at her right now!"  
  
Marie stared in even more disbelief.  
  
Joe, in the bushes, felt the color drain from his face. Here he thought he was saving Marie, and in reality she was planning on marrying Robert! Sadly, he holstered his gun and turned, walking away in rejection.  
  
"I don't want to marry you," Marie whispered urgently.  
  
"I made a promise to marry your sister, Marie, but since that can't happen I'll have to fulfill that promise through you!"  
  
"So you only love me because of my dead twin sister?!?"  
  
"No, no," Robert quickly corrected her. "I love you for you, and I intend to marry you."  
  
Her face scrunching up in anger, Marie shook her head in disagreement. "You can't just FORCE someone to marry you! And frankly, I don't know you well enough! Please take me home." Crossing her arms and furrowing her eyebrows, she stuck out her lower lip, pouting.  
  
"You are home," he growled menacingly.  
  
By now, Joe was at Cochise's side, and the voices were merely murmurs in the distance. His heart was broken yet again, and he willed himself to block out the muffled conversation.  
  
"Fine! I'll walk if I have to!" She turned and started striding away, stomping her feet in frustration.  
  
"But wait right there, pretty lady. I have something that might interest you."  
  
Marie stopped in her tracks, curious to find out what Robert meant.  
  
"I made a stop in Virginia City before I visited you, and I took the liberty of finding out some of your past...little nasty secrets that I'm sure you wouldn't want to be found out."  
  
Marie turned to face him, her eyes wide with fear.  
  
"That's right, little lady. Now if you don't want this to be found out, you might decide to go along with anything I say, got it?"  
  
Marie nodded slowly, tears stinging her eyes. She thought she had buried most of her ugly past. How had this man found out about it so quickly? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Penny was shocked and disgusted by her father's plan! Who was this man, anyway? She knew her father had plenty of faults, but she had never believed him to be capable of what he was threatening if she didn't obey him! How she wished her mother was there to help her.  
  
But she was on her own. Penny's father had revealed to her that he wanted her to report to the sheriff that Adam had assaulted her, so that her father could either extort money from the Cartwrights to shut her up, or take Adam to court for ruining her reputation. She tried to explain to her father that no one around there would believe such accusations, but he wouldn't listen. In fact, he told her that he could provide a witness to back up Penny's claims; some woman he had met that was from California.  
  
Penny had no idea what to do, but she was certain of one thing; she could not risk Adam's life, and maybe if she went along with her father's idea for just awhile, she would think of a way to deal with his apparent insanity. Since he wasn't about to leave her alone, she finally stood up and let him lead her to the sheriff.  
  
By the time they stood before Sheriff Coffee, Penny's dress was ripped in a dozen places, her hair was in terrible disarray, and her cheeks were red from having been slapped. Although Roy found it impossible to believe her story, he knew he had no choice but to bring Adam in, especially since there was an apparent witness involved. Sighing heavily, Roy left Penny and her father standing in his office and, carrying handcuffs, went to the hotel to find Adam.  
  
Roy walked down the hall to the room the hotel manager had said that Adam had gone into and knocked on the door. Hoss answered and smiled a greeting at the sheriff.  
  
Roy, however, looked crestfallen. "I'm here to arrest Adam, Hoss."  
  
"What?!?" Hoss stared in disbelief, and Adam quickly appeared next to his brother.  
  
"But why, Roy?"  
  
Roy told the accusations against Adam as Adam stood, shocked.  
  
"Is she okay," was the first words out of his mouth. There must be some misunderstanding, he was sure of it!  
  
"Yes, sir, just a little battered is all."  
  
Hoss put a supportive arm around his brother's shoulders. "I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this, Adam," Hoss reassured, ushering Adam through the doorway.  
  
Roy, sure that he would have no trouble, put away the handcuffs and decided just to follow the boys to his office.  
  
Once they had reached the jail, Adam immediately ran to the battered Penny, but Mr. Green shielded her.  
  
"Haven't you done enough, Cartwright?" he accused.  
  
Penny looked in humiliation down at the floor.  
  
"If you can go and find me that witness right now, Mr. Green, we'll talk about charges."  
  
Mr. Green nodded and pulled Penny along.  
  
"Wait, wait," Roy stopped them. "You can go alone, Mr. Green, I'll watch her."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No objections! I'll make sure that he doesn't harm her in anyway. Now please go get your witness!" To prove his point, the sheriff extracted the guns from both Adam and Hoss' holsters.  
  
Mr. Green nodded reluctantly and left, but not before shooting a warning glance at Penny.  
  
As soon as she was sure he was gone, Penny spilled the story of what her father's plan was, apologizing relentlessly to Adam.  
  
He waved aside her 'I'm sorrys' and replied gravely, "In order to capture him at this, we're gonna have to go along with it...for now."  
  
"We don't have time to think the whole thing through right now," Adam continued, "so we will have to go with what's most important first."  
  
"Hoss, you need to concentrate on finding Joe and Marie. And don't tell anyone the truth about this, not even Pa; the fewer people who know that we have a plan, the better," and, with reluctance, but knowing that his older brother was right, Hoss left the sheriff's office.  
  
"Now," said Adam, "I need to keep Penny safe from her father, and I can't do that if I am in a jail cell." Seeing the worried look on Penny's face, Adam added, "plus we want to avoid having to send Penny's father to prison." And he could see her eyes give him a silent thank you.  
  
Turning to Roy, Adam began to explain his plan.  
When Mr. Green returned to Sheriff Coffee's office with Mrs. Templeton, he was dismayed to see only the sheriff there, sitting on the bed in a cell, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
"WHERE ARE THEY?!?" shouted Mr. Green. "You assured me that my daughter was safe with you!"  
  
"And I thought she was," Roy said, with just a hint of pain in his voice. "Hoss went back to the ranch to tell their father what had happened, but before I got Adam in the cell he overpowered me and knocked me out. When I came to, Adam and Penny were gone."  
  
Standing by Roy's desk, Mr. Green let out a shriek and pushed everything that was on the desk onto the floor.  
  
"Well you had better find them fast," he threatened, "or I will take care of that Cartwright fellow myself!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After assuring Adam once more that she was fine, Penny gladly accepted his offer of the use of his jacket, since her dress was in shambles.  
  
The two of them were now riding Sport and Beauty toward the Ponderosa, but in the opposite direction of the ranch house. Going at a gallop to put some distance between them and Virginia City, Penny had not had a chance to find out where they were going. But she finally called out, "Adam, can we slow down; we need to talk."  
  
Adam had been totally concentrating on the situation he found himself in and had forgotten that Penny knew nothing of his plans. So, slowing Sport down, Adam apologized to her and began telling her what he had thought of so far.  
  
"There is a hunting cabin on the Ponderosa that is not being used this time of year. That's where we are headed. I don't think your father would be able to find out about it from anyone in town.  
  
"There are a few provisions there, enough for at least a couple of days, long enough for me to get word to Hoss about what we need. We have a secret place where we can leave messages for one another, and he will check there as soon as he can. You heard Roy say he would have his deputy keep an eye on your father, while he pretends to look for us."  
  
"That all makes sense for now," replied Penny. "But once we get to the cabin, what happens then?"  
  
"Then I will be able to keep you safe while I figure out the rest of the plan. Please try not to worry," he said, smiling down on Penny "I'm merely going to think of a way to cause your father to give away his plans, thus exposing him, but doing it before he does anything unlawful."  
  
"Thank you, Adam," Penny answered. "I believe my father needs help, but not the kind he would receive in a prison."  
  
And they sped up, continuing towards the cabin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Marie pursed her lips.  
  
"What do you want me to do," she questioned softly.  
  
"That's better, Miss Marie," Robert gushed. "First off, you can start by making me a meal. I'm really hungry right now."  
  
"I can't cook," Marie objected.  
  
"Look right here, little lady, you're gonna be cookin' for me and my children for a long time in the future. Maybe you should get used to it starting right now."  
  
Marie frowned, thought of objecting, but realized what Robert was holding over her and thought again.  
  
"Got any pots or pans?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Joe rode along slowly, his heart feeling heavy. He had recaptured his will to survive via Marie, and now she was snatched away from him by vile Robert. Finally, he could take it no longer and slid off Cochise, landing despondently in the dirt.  
  
"Oh, God," he whimpered. "Isn't it bad enough to loose Helen in the same way you took my mother? Marie helped me feel as if both were alive, and now she's going to marry another man!" Joe let the tears fall; for his mother, for Helen, and now for Marie. He felt worthless and alone, so he had no shame in allowing the tears to flood out of his eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hoss was following a path given by tracks in the woods. The first light was beginning to dawn, and Ben and Mr. Ferguson were back at the ranch still, getting ready. Hoss had volunteered to go on ahead, and it was easy following the trail.  
  
After several hours of hard riding, he thought he heard crying. Perplexed, Hoss got off of Chubb and began to search for the source of the noise.  
  
Peaking through the trees, he felt fear grip his stomach as he located Joe sobbing and lying prostrate on the soil while Cochise stood nervously nearby.  
  
"Joe!" Running over, he ran a hand over Joe's back, fearing his brother's spine was broken. If it wasn't, then why else would he be lying there crying? His brother didn't cry out in pain, but nevertheless continued to sob.  
  
"What happened, brother? Did Cochise throw you?" Hoss was concerned by Joe's behavior.  
  
Joe looked up at Hoss and sniffled, "She's gone, Hoss! They're all gone!!"  
  
Having said this, Joe collapsed into another fit of tears, throwing himself into his baffled brother's lap. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Penny opened the cabin door as Adam led the horses around back. The cabin was not as bad as it could have been. There was a table and four chairs, one set of bunk beds, a large fireplace, and a small back room. There was also a little cabinet where some food was stored.  
  
The room, however, was covered in dust and, wanting to keep busy, Penny tore off the rest of her skirt to use as a dust rag, knowing that it was no longer hiding her petticoat anyway. She continued to wear Adam's coat, though, partly out of modesty, and partly because it seemed like the next best thing to having his arms around her.  
  
When Adam came in carrying an armful of wood, he found Penny dusting away, and she quickly said, "After I finish dusting, I will shake out the sheets and blankets, and then check on the food. I suppose it's mostly hardtack and beef jerky, but that's alright. And I saw a stream nearby..."  
  
Adam interrupted her by taking her into his arms and saying, "Calm down, Penny dear; it's alright if you want to cry over your father; you certainly have good reason to."  
  
Laying her head against his chest, Penny replied, "But that's just it, Adam, I can't seem to cry. My father has done some underhanded things in his time, but today he was like a monster, and I think I am still in shock over it."  
  
Lifting her left had to his lips, Adam looked at the ring on her finger, the one he had given to her when he proposed. It had been his mother's engagement ring; she had been buried with her wedding band on, but Ben had saved the ring for Adam to someday give to the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. As he kissed her fingers, he said, "This will all be over with soon, and then we can continue planning that big wedding you want."  
  
Pulling away from Adam, and going over to look out the window.  
  
Penny responded fervently, "No, Adam, that isn't what I want anymore. Ever since I arrived here, bad things have happened. People have died, been badly injured and hurt so deeply emotionally that they can hardly keep going. I have been giving this a lot of thought lately, and I don't want to be engaged to you any longer!"  
  
Adam felt like his heart would melt at those words. How on earth, he thought, could I get through the rest of my life without Penny? It just wasn't possible!  
  
So walking slowly to her side, Adam asked quietly, "Do you really mean that?"  
  
"Yes," said Penny adamantly, "I do. Life is too short to waste any time not being with the one you love, so I don't want to be your fiancée anymore, I just want to be your wife, even if it means eloping right now!"  
  
And she embraced Adam as he laughed in relief, and then their lips met.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben felt like he was at his wit's end! Worried about both Marie and Joe, he was about to leave to search for them when a man claiming to be Penny's father came rushing up in a buggy. He insisted that Ben speak with him immediately on what he referred to as a life and death matter, so Ben had sent Mr. Ferguson on, and was now ushering Mr. Green into his home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam looked lovingly at Penny.  
  
"Think you can hold off just one more week, until this thing clears over?"  
  
"I'll sure try, Adam, but it might be the hardest thing I've ever done!" Thinking intently, she added, "You sure there's no way we could get married before the week is through?"  
  
Adam gazed upward in thought, then grinned. "I've got it! When we send Hoss the note of what supplies we need, we'll put "preacher" on the list! Can you hold out until then Penny?"  
  
"I guess I'll have to," Penny laughed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What do you mean, Adam abused your daughter?" Ben was fighting a losing battle at keeping his temper under control.  
  
"Just like I told you," Mr. Green stated. "Your son has been beating Penny!"  
  
"I highly doubt that!"  
  
"Either way, he's goin' on trial for it, unless you wonna keep your boy outa trouble. I guess Penny and I both could forget this terrible incident for, say, a reasonable price..." Douglas eyed Ben up, waiting for a response to his hint.  
  
"This is unheard of!" Ben exploded as he stood up from his chair and moved toward Mr. Green, eyes flashing like a rabid dog. "Get out of my house," Ben growled.  
  
Seeing the harshness that lay right under Ben's skin, Douglas quickly grabbed his hat and retreated out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Robert sucked down Marie's soup greedily. It was a little too watery, perhaps, but any observer would be none the wiser by the way the man was devouring it.  
  
"More," he grunted.  
  
Marie scowled and took the tin bowl, adding more to the man's serving.  
  
When he had finally finished, he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm and smacked his lips loudly.  
  
"You'll make a fine cook, yet, Marie! Now I've got something else I want you to do..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hoss had no idea what his little brother was talking about, but one thing was certain; Joe was in a lot of pain again, and it had nothing to do with his body.  
  
Deciding it was best to just let him cry it out, Hoss sat rubbing Joe's back as he had done when Joe was a child and had come out of a nightmare, screaming. This happened a lot following the days of the death of Joe's mother, and Hoss and Adam had kept a close watch on him. It looked like they might have to do that again.  
  
After Joe finally stopped crying and was quiet for awhile, Hoss gently lifted him into a sitting position, and asked him what he was talking about when he said that everyone was gone.  
  
Talking in a monotone, with a blank look in his eyes, Joe finally answered, "I found Marie last night, but she's going to marry Robert, so she's gone, too, just like Helen and my mother."  
  
"What do you mean, she gonna marry Robert?" Hoss asked quickly. "Did you talk to her?"  
  
"No, I just overheard them talking about marriage; they never even knew I was there."  
  
"Dagnabit, Joe," Hoss said, taking a hold of Joe's shoulders and giving him a bit of a shake. "Marie disappeared just a few minutes after meeting Robert. She couldn't want to marry him that fast. Where did you see them?"  
  
"Oh, over in the woods somewhere," Joe answered, waving his hand limply in the direction from which he had come.  
  
Standing up and taking Joe by his jacket collar and lifting him to his feet, Hoss demanded, "You help me find them again, Joe, and fast, because I think Marie could be in big trouble!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben couldn't believe what had just transpired; Penny's father trying to extort him for money! If, indeed, that really was Penny's father. But what was all the talk about Adam beating Penny and going to jail? Hoss had seen Adam in town and was told about Joe and Marie, so Ben had assumed that Adam and Penny were now out looking for them. Well, Ben decided, Adam is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, whatever is going on. And he mounted Buck to begin his search for the missing young people.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Not having slept much during the night, Adam finally persuaded Penny to lie down for awhile, and she went to sleep the minute her head hit the pillow. Adam sat at the table, thinking about what they should do next, and also writing a note to Hoss on some paper he had found in the cabinet. If he and Penny were going to continue hiding out at the cabin, they would have to have supplies. But should they stay there, or was there a better way to handle Mr. Green? And what was happening with Joe and Marie? Sitting in one chair, with his feet on another, Adam finally fell asleep too, his mind too tired to come up with the right answers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You are such a jerk," Marie cried out, fighting between rage and tears.  
  
Robert just smiled at her coolly.  
  
"So you'll do it?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?" Marie wanted to go back home, wherever 'home' may be, and make Robert disappear forever.  
  
"Well, you do, but you know what I can do to you if you make the wrong one."  
  
Marie hung her head low and felt tears threatening to spill out all over her dress. She was so tired, not having slept all night, and the dress she had been wearing, which had been Helen's, was now disheveled and dirty. Guilt began to form in the pit of her stomach for getting her twin's beautiful gown messy.  
  
The sound of approaching horses startled both of them.  
  
"Be on your best behavior, young lady," Robert warned.  
  
Hoss and Joe appeared through the trees, and Robert stood to greet them.  
  
"Mornin'!"  
  
Hoss gave a nod of acknowledgement and got off of Chubb. Joe, on the other hand, refused to even look up, much less get off his horse.  
  
Hoss then turned his attention to Marie.  
  
"How are you young lady?" he asked softly.  
  
"Wonderful," she curtly replied. She held her head aloft in silent pride and seemed as if all was well, but Hoss noticed tears slowly running down her dusty cheeks. He decided to ignore them for now, but knew something must not be 'wonderful'.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben was pushing Buck to ride hard in order to catch up with any or all of his sons. After awhile, he saw a slow rider up ahead and recognized it as Harold Ferguson. He waved and was soon parallel to the man.  
  
"Still lookin'," Harold informed Ben. He pointed down where there were signs showing that two (possibly three) people had been resting at the place for quite sometime. There were two rump prints, one large, one small, in the ground near a decaying log, and several intertwined horse prints going back and forth in different directions. As Ben studied the tracks, a lady on a carriage showed up.  
  
"Good afternoon," she greeted.  
  
The men exchanged a glance. What was a lady doing so far off-road, in a buggy, no less?  
  
"Can we, uh, help you, ma'am?"  
  
"Yes, um, that is if one of you is Ben Cartwright."  
  
"I am."  
  
"Good," she trilled. "I'm Violet Templeton, and I have some urgent business to discuss with you." She pulled a paper from her satchel next to her and went to get off of her buggy. As she did, her dress caught on the side and she tumbled over the edge, the hem of her dress never loosening from the snag it had attached itself to. She landed on her head, her legs in the air, and her dress in a big upside-down umbrella so her bloomers were thoroughly exposed.  
  
"Oh!" she cried out, fighting to free herself.  
  
Ben looked away in embarrassment, and at the same instant wanted to help her, so he eased his way over to her side, trying his hardest not to catch a glimpse of her frilly underwear! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hoss walked over to a spot that put him in between Robert and Marie, then turned to Robert and said, "This little gal's adoptive parents have been worried sick about her. I've come to take her home."  
  
"That's fine by me," answered Robert, grinning. "We just meant to go for a little ride to get to know each other better, but since I am a stranger here, I up and got us lost. But before you leave, I would like to have a word with Marie in private."  
  
Going to Marie and taking her by the arm to a place out of Hoss' earshot, Robert growled, "And don't you get no fancy ideas about spilling the beans on our plans while you are away from me, or these so-called friends of yours will be so ashamed to have known you that they will never speak your name again! And no running away, either; I will be keeping an eye on you, missy!"  
  
With that, he let Marie go and she went over to Hoss, noticing for the first time that Joe would not look at her. Did he know something already? She shuddered at the thought as she got on Chubb behind Hoss.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As Ben began to help Violet get upright and untangled, she just kept saying, "Oh, my, what happened; Oh my!" And then after getting back on her own two feet, she suddenly swooned, Ben catching her in his arms just in time.  
  
"Are you alright?" Ben asked, with both concern and frustration in his voice, since he was wanting to be on his way.  
  
"I'm not sure," Violet answered. "I must have hit my head when I fell, and now I feel all dizzy and sick at my stomach."  
  
"She could have a concussion," replied Harold. "Why don't you take her back to your ranch in the buggy, and I will keep looking for our children."  
  
"Yes," Ben answered sarcastically, "why DON"T I take her back to the ranch, since it looks like I'm never going to get on my way today anyway." But Violet wasn't worried about the tone of his voice; as he helped her back into the buggy, she was just exulting in the fact that her plan was working out perfectly! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam awoke to the aroma of cooking food. Opening his eyes, he smiled as he spied Penny cooking over the small stove.  
  
"Smell's good."  
  
"Oh! You're up!" Coming over, she planted a kiss on his sleep-creased forehead. "I'm just heating up some left over jerky, so you don't have to lie about it smelling good!"  
  
Looking at the food in question, she frowned. "Hope it doesn't turn out too bad!"  
  
Adam pulled Penny over and sat her down on his lap.  
  
"Won't be too much longer, now. Hoss should be coming within the hour at our meeting spot to get our list of supplies, and I told him to have the preacher come first thing tomorrow morning."  
  
"You mean it, Adam?" she exulted. "You know, I think I found some old linen and thread in one of these drawers." Rummaging through them, she pulled out a wad of aged-looking white cloth and bright pink thread. "I always vowed to make my own wedding dress!" Giggling, she added, "Granted, it won't be anything spectacular, but it'll have to do!"  
  
Adam grinned. "I'm sure you'd look beautiful if you were to wrap that around you just the way it is!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Try as he might, Hoss was unable to get any information from Marie other than what Robert had said, so their ride with Joe was uneventful, save for the tension between all the parties involved.  
  
They met Mr. Ferguson along the road, and he was ecstatic at seeing her.  
  
"Oh, Marie," he said while hugging her tightly. "I was so worried about you!"  
  
Marie seemed less than receptive at his greeting, but Harold didn't notice.  
  
"C'mon, honey, let's get you home."  
  
Once Hoss was sure that Marie and Harold were safely on their way home, he motioned for Joe to follow him. He knew it was about time to get the supplies for Adam, but didn't want to leave Joe alone. So, in weariness from lack of sleep, he resigned himself to have Joe come with.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The whole ride to the ranch, Violet joked and laughed, completely ignoring the fact that Ben had little or nothing to say.  
  
When they were finally inside and Hop Sing was preparing some tea, Ben asked, "So what business did you say you had with me, Ms. Templeton?"  
  
She laughed happily and replied, "Well, you're never gonna believe this, but here goes," and one again she produced some papers from her satchel. "Your third wife, Marie, and my late husband Joshua were once together, and I mean together! In fact, they had a daughter together!"  
  
"WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE IS THIS," Ben hollered as he leaped out of his chair, not even caring that he was speaking to a lady. "I have heard enough accusations about my family for one day!"  
  
And he began to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace.  
  
"Oh, it's not nonsense, I assure you, Ben, if I may call you Ben, that is," said Violet lightly. "I have the birth certificate right here; I just recently found it while going through my husband's belongings. I guess it should have gone to the parents who adopted the baby, but Joshua must not have wanted to give her up entirely."  
  
"Let me see that," Ben said as he snatched the paper out of her hand. Sure enough, it looked like it was real, and there was Marie's name on it, along with Joshua Templeton. "Well, I will just have my lawyer take a look at this as soon as possible!"  
  
"Be my guest, Ben. I had my lawyer check it out, too. And I even discovered that my late husband bought some land adjacent to your Ponderosa. I guess he had hoped to build on it someday and be near Marie."  
  
"This is ABSOLUTELY ludicrous!" Ben roared again. "There is no way my Marie would have ever done something like this."  
  
"I'm sorry, dear," answered Violet, smiling at Ben. "I had a hard time believing the facts, too, but that's just the way it is."  
  
"What FACTS," Ben asked, shaking the certificate in Violet's face. "One piece of paper that could easily be a forgery? I need a LOT more proof than that, and still wouldn't believe it if you produced it."  
  
"Oh, Ben, you are so gullible when it comes to women, if you believe your wife was absolutely not capable of giving in to temptation! It happens often; it just isn't talked about in proper circles!"  
  
"NOT MY WIFE," Ben countered. "We trusted each other completely with our hearts!"  
  
"Whatever you say, darling, but I do have more evidence. You see, it just so happens I was able to track down the man who adopted the girl, and he has come to Virginia City to back me up. His name is Green, and Marie's daughter was named Penny."  
  
"Penny Green?!?" This was too much for Ben to handle! "My son is going to MARRY Penny!"  
  
Violet snickered. "Well, now, that IS a problem! Is it Marie's son? Because if it is, then he'd be marrying his half-sister!" Once again she laughed shrilly.  
  
"It is NOT Little Joe who is getting married, it is Adam. And...and even if it was Joe, he WOULDN'T be marrying his half-sister because Penny isn't Marie's daughter! They don't even look alike," he sputtered angrily, not caring if his defense was weak.  
  
Violet shrugged. "No matter. See, my husband was dark like Penny and..."  
  
"Enough! Please leave, and I'll contact you as soon as I connect with my lawyer."  
  
Violet frowned but nodded. "Alright. I see how it is."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that," Ben retorted.  
  
Then she huffily got up and left, with Ben urging her out the entire way.  
  
Once she was gone, Ben dragged his feet over to his desk and sat down, putting his head into his hands for support, studying the document for any signs of false information, dates, or signatures.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hoss neared the large tree where Adam and he had agreed to leave messages for one another, Joe miserably tagging along behind. Hoss spied a rock and dismounted Chubb, lifted the rock and pulled the note out from underneath it.  
  
"What's that," Joe asked, curiosity getting the better of him.  
  
"While you've been sittin' around sulkin' all day, little brother, Adam's done got himself in trouble piled up around his ears." He explained the situation to Joe while scanning the note. He stopped in mid-sentence, however, as his eyes caught the word, "Preacher".  
  
"He wants a preacher?" Hoss pulled a face and read the side note next to it. "Tomorrow morning? Hot dog! They're gonna be elopin', little brother!"  
  
Hoss then considered his options. He knew he wasn't supposed to tell Ben that Adam had hidden away, but he also knew his father would want to know about this sudden change in plans. Thinking about it carefully, he finally decided on what he would do.  
  
"C'mon, Joe, we gotta go tell Pa that Adam's not gonna need a big weddin' ceremony after all!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben finally gave up on finding something wrong with the birth certificate and sat for a long time with his head in his hands. He was already concerned about Joe and the young Marie girl missing, and whatever was going on with Adam and Penny, and now this! How was he going to prove that it was all a lie? How was he going to break the news about it to Joe? And how would it affect Adam's and Penny's relationship? There were plenty of questions, with no easy answers.  
  
When the front door of the house opened, Ben jumped up, hoping it was someone with good news. When he saw Joe standing there with Hoss, he went over and embraced Joe as tightly as he had ever done before.  
  
Joe, expecting a tongue-lashing, not a hug, was at a loss for words. So finally Hoss said, "We found Marie; she's alright, I guess, and back with the Fergusons."  
  
"That's wonderful news, son," Ben answered, still holding onto Joe. Finally Joe said, "Hoss needs to talk to you, Pa, but I'm really tired and think I'll go to bed."  
  
"Of course," agreed Ben, finally letting go of his youngest boy. "You must be exhausted; we all are."  
  
After Joe was gone, Hoss said, "Pa, I have some big news to tell ya!"  
  
"That's fine, Hoss," Ben answered distractedly, "but first I need to talk to you. I think we'd better sit down; this could take awhile."  
  
And then Ben recounted to Hoss the stories about the two visitors he had had that day. There was still anger in his voice as he spoke about Mr. Green, but hesitation, and pain, as he informed Hoss about the accusations made by Mrs. Templeton.  
  
Hoss was stunned about the latter, and sat in confusion for a few minutes about what to do about his news; but he finally decided that he needed his father's input about it.  
  
So Hoss filled Ben in on what had transpired in town between Adam, Penny and Mr. Green, and how Adam had taken Penny to the hunting cabin to keep her safe until they found a way to deal with her father.  
  
Then Hoss began his second story. "Pa, what you told me just now, about Penny possibly being the daughter of..." and he hesitated, "of this Templeton fella, well, it's gonna cause a big problem."  
  
"You don't have to tell me that!" Ben snorted. "And yet none of it is the truth!"  
  
But Hoss persisted by saying, "I believe you, Pa, but that still needs to be proven, and I don't think Adam and Penny would want to marry before it's all cleared up, do you?"  
  
"No, especially since it so directly involves Joseph," Ben answered, "but there is plenty of time for that before the wedding."  
  
"Not as much time as you think," volunteered Hoss, "cause they want to get married in the morning!"  
  
Ben and Hoss then discussed the problem long into the night, both men finally going to bed with heavy hearts.  
The next morning Hoss headed to town for supplies, while Ben set off for the cabin. Joe was still in bed, and Ben had asked Hop Sing to try to keep Joe at home today, and not let him talk to anyone who might stop by. After hearing from Hoss about Joe's breakdown the night before, Ben was hoping Joe would just stay in bed until he got back, because he did not want Joe to hear anything about his mother from anyone else but his father.  
  
As Ben saw the cabin up ahead, he slowed Buck's pace down; extremely reluctant to have to break the bad news he had to the happy couple that was inside its shelter.  
  
Going up to the door, Ben knocked softly.  
  
Adam opened the door cautiously and grinned when he saw his father, throwing it open all the way.  
  
"So I guess Hoss told you that we wanted a preacher, Pa?"  
  
Ben smiled gingerly and replied, "Yes, he did son, and he told me all about Mr. Green, as well."  
  
Adam shrugged. "Well, I guess it's for the better, anyways. Now you can be one of our witnesses!"  
  
Meanwhile, Penny emerged from the back room in a small white dress, simple yet proud. It was extremely well-made for a dress that was probably done quickly, and the only thing that gave away its hasty creation was the bright pink thread which held it together.  
  
"Ben!" Walking over, she gave him a hug.  
  
Adam was finally beginning to see that something was wrong, as his father was less than talkative.  
  
"What is it, Pa," he asked slowly.  
  
Ben sighed and told the whole story about Mr. Green coming to him and Ms. Templeton's sudden visit, avoiding eye contact the whole time. Upon hearing the accusations Violet Templeton had made, Penny sat abruptly in a chair, gazing at the floor in obvious surprise. Adam placed a hand on the table and stared at Ben.  
  
"Is it true," he finally asked.  
  
"No, son, but knowing and proving is two different things."  
  
Still in a daze, Penny looked up and asked, "So this mean's that I'm Joe's half-sister?"  
  
"No, Penny," Ben replied gently. "It would if it was true, but it's not!"  
  
"We can't get married, Adam! Not now, anyway."  
  
Adam pursed his lips in thought.  
  
"No, I suppose we couldn't. What with Joe to think about. How did Joe take the news, Pa?"  
  
Ben sighed. "He doesn't know yet. He's pretty upset about Helen's twin right now." Ben then proceeded to explain about the occurrences between Joe, Marie, and Robert from what Hoss had told him.  
  
"Poor Joe," Penny stated. Looking down at her home-made dress, she laughed sadly. "Guess I'll go change now."  
  
"Hoss is in town getting supplies for you, minus the preacher, of course."  
  
The couple nodded in unison even though neither saw the other do it.  
  
Adam spoke up once Penny had left the room. "Could you talk to Mr. Green and see if he can disprove what Mrs. Templeton said?"  
  
"According to her, he's here to back up her claims, but I'll talk to him anyway when I stop in to see my lawyer."  
  
Adam agreed, and Ben was soon on his way once again, riding on Buck towards town in order get to the bottom of the entire mess.  
  
On his way into town, Ben met Hoss on his way to the cabin.  
  
"How'd they take it, Pa?" Hoss asked, feeling badly for his brother and almost sister-in-law.  
  
"They understood the problem with getting married now, but I'm sure they are disappointed. Penny is confused, too, about her father saying she is adopted, so I'm going to wire her mother and see if she will tell the truth."  
  
"I'm glad you mentioned that, Pa, because we got back an answer from one of those wires we sent about Helen's twin, and you're not gonna like it."  
  
Ben took the wire from Hoss, and as he read it a frown came across his face. He then pocketed the paper, and replied, "This will definitely have to be dealt with, but not now. We've got even more important matters to attend to." And Ben continued on his way.  
  
Reaching town, Ben first wrote out a telegram for Penny's mother. Unbeknownst to him, however, Green and Templeton had already anticipated this move, and had bribed the telegraph operator not to send it. Later, Ben would receive a reply, but not from Penny's mother.  
  
Next Ben headed for his lawyer's office. Not finding him in, Ben went to see Roy Coffee.  
  
After hearing the story about Mrs. Templeton, Roy shook his head in sympathy. "You do have some mighty big problems to deal with right now, Ben, and I will help you in any way I can. Unfortunately, no laws have been broken yet, as far as I can see. But perhaps I should go with you to talk to this Green fellow. He's big trouble, as far as I'm concerned."  
  
"No, Roy, you've helped enough for now," Ben replied. "This is family business, and I have to take care of it myself."  
  
"But be careful, Ben," answered Roy soberly. "I would hate to see Mr. Green charging you with something next!"  
  
Ben easily found both Mr. Green and Mrs. Templeton in the hotel dining room, having breakfast together. "Ben!" Violet greeted him excitedly. "It's so nice to see you again. Please, join us!"  
  
"I can't stay long," Ben said grimly, "but I do have a question for Mr. Green." Turning to Douglas, Ben began, "If you came to Virginia City at Mrs. Templeton's request, why did you try to accuse my son of assault?"  
  
"Oh, I assure you," Mr. Cartwright, "it was not my intention to cause trouble for young Penny and you're son, but as it turned out, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Mrs. Templeton even heard your son accosting my daughter, but I was willing to save your son's reputation, for Penny's sake, for enough money to help her start a new life."  
  
"So," said Ben, his face red with anger, "you have not changed your story, and each of you is backing up the other! Well let me tell you something, YOU WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS! I will see both of you in prison before we're done!", and Ben stomped out of the hotel as Violet and Douglas smiled at one another, and clinked their water glasses together in salutation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe was up in his room, gazing thoughtlessly at the ceiling. His heart felt heavy, and he had no will to get up, so he stayed in bed for most of the morning. Hop Sing had bustled in and out a few times in an attempt to make him eat breakfast or lunch, but every time Joe had refused the nourishment. He finally reminded himself of all the chores he had to do around the house and forced himself to get up.  
  
Once dressed, he went downstairs and ignored Hop Sing's pleas for him to eat.  
  
Making his way to the barn, he found an ax and decided to get a head start on the pile of wood he was to chop. The monotony of cutting the wood up allowed his mind to clear somewhat, and every time the ax spilt and splintered the wood, hatred budded and grew in him against Robert. The man had stolen Joe's last shred of Helen and his mother, as far as he was concerned, and Joe wanted to make him sorry for it.  
  
The youngest Cartwright made a choice to confront Robert. After debating awhile, he decided to leave his gun at home; he didn't want to shoot in anger. Joe figured Robert would be at the place he had been camping with Marie, and he was right.  
  
"Robert," Joe yelled into the camp.  
  
Robert emerged from a stretch of trees nearby, carrying firewood.  
  
"Why, hello," Robert replied.  
  
Joe dismounted from Cochise and eyed up Robert. Walking up to him, he asked, "What makes you think you have the right to just shove me out of the way and up'n marry Marie without a second's notice?"  
  
Robert frowned. "How'd you know Marie and I were getting married?"  
  
"I heard you talkin'."  
  
"Well, friend," Robert grinned slyly, "It seems like I just suit her fancy more 'an you do."  
  
"You never even gave me a chance," Joe growled.  
  
"Doesn't matter. She would've chosen me over you, because she knows what's best for her."  
  
Joe didn't take time to find out what Robert meant by that last comment. His anger and frustration was so deep that he hurled himself at Robert like a mountain lion, knocking the firewood from the man's hands. Both went flying and landed on the ground on the rocky soil with a grunt.  
  
Both men were equally muscular, so the fight wasn't a matter of strength but of position. Rolling over and over in the dirt, they fought to pin the other to the ground. In the heat of the fight, neither realized they were tumbling towards the edge of a deep ravine.  
  
The scuffle continued, arms and legs flying, until they both dropped off the side of the cliff, yelling as they were forced to succumb to gravity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After leaving supplies for Adam and Penny at the drop-off site, Hoss headed back home, hoping his pa had been successful in finding out something helpful in town.  
  
As he approached the spot where he had found Little Joe the night before, Hoss was surprised to see Cochise wandering out of the nearby woods. Dismounting and whistling Cochise over to him, Hoss inspected him for injuries. Finding none, he headed for the campsite where he had found Robert and Marie.  
  
Just as he arrived at it, he saw two bodies struggling with each other on the ground, but before he had time to react, and in great horror, he watched as the two went over the cliff, and listened to their bloodcurdling screams.  
PART 7  
  
Adam and Penny had changed into clothing that Ben had brought to them, so were feeling more comfortable physically. But, although extremely disappointed at the postponement of the marriage, Adam was more concerned about Penny's peace of mind. She had seemed to take the news from Ben well enough, although with some confusion regarding the matter of her parentage, but now she didn't want to talk about it. Sensing some time alone might be good for her, Adam wrapped his arms around her, gave her a kiss and told her once more that everything would turn out alright, and then headed out to get the supplies.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sure enough, the supplies were there, and Adam hoped that some decent food to cook and eat would perk up Penny's mood. But before he was able to load even one parcel on his horse, he heard another horse fast approaching. Drawing his gun, Adam waited, but soon saw that it was Hoss.  
  
Reigning in his horse beside his older brother, Hoss managed to gasp, "It's Little Joe! I saw him and that Robert fella fightin', and they both rolled over the cliff! Couldn't even see 'em when I looked over the edge, so's I cum back here for your help!"  
  
Without a moment's hesitation, Adam mounted Sport and followed Hoss back in the direction Hoss had come from. Adam knew Penny would be worried when he didn't return on time, and she could even be in possible emotional danger herself, but he also knew he had to do whatever it took to save his brother right now, if it just wasn't too late already! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The last thing Robert remembered was landing on top of his opponent, and when he woke up he was still in a daze. Joe was lying unconscious next to him. His leg was bent at a severe angle, but Robert ignored his injured companion and surveyed the area for any way to get out of the ravine.  
  
They had both landed on a soft patch of overgrown weeds, probably sparing their lives. The edge of the cliff jagged over their heads, and Robert cursed. He doubted that anyone could see them from above.  
  
Finally, he decided to take notice of Joe's condition. Kneeling down beside him, he checked his pulse. Joe was still alive.  
  
"Much as I don't want to, I'm guessin' I have no choice but to fix that leg of yours. No way I can get outa here by myself!"  
  
Robert searched the small gully until he found what he was looking for: two long sticks and a stretch of green vines. Heading back toward Joe, he bit his lip and apologized.  
  
"This is prolly gonna hurt you real bad. Hope you stay out for it."  
  
Robert then grabbed Joe's leg beneath the break and began to twist it back into place.  
  
"AHHHHHH!" Joe woke with a start and sat straight up, clutching Robert's shirt. Sweat immediately sprang from his brow and he begged for Robert to stop. Robert stopped and looked at Joe. He pulled off his belt and stuck it into Joe's mouth.  
  
"Bite this. I have to put it back in place, if we're ever gonna get outa here alive!"  
  
Joe obediently chomped down on the leather and Robert once again began to put the bone back at the right angle. Joe let out another scream through the belt and involuntary tears sprang from his eyes.  
  
"There ya go, the worst part's over." Robert carefully placed the long sticks on either side of Joe's leg and secured them with the vines.  
  
When Robert had finished, Joe lay there panting.  
  
"'Spose I should thank you," he managed.  
  
"Nope. Did it as much to help myself as to help you," Robert stated blatantly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Penny sat dejectedly in a chair. Can it be true, she thought. Am I really Little Joe's sister?  
  
"Penny, that's absurd," she said aloud.  
  
After awhile, she began to get nervous since Adam hadn't returned yet. She knew she shouldn't go anywhere by herself, but finally could take it any longer and began to walk to the spot Adam had told her about. Their supplies were still there, but Adam was no where to be found!  
  
As she kneeled over their stuff, she suddenly heard a pistol cock behind her.  
  
"Oh, Penny, honey," her father's voice called out. "When are you gonna learn not to run off against your dear father's wishes?"  
  
Penny stood up, looking at her father as if he was a complete stranger. She knew she should be careful, but was too angry for that.  
  
"Oh, so NOW you are my dear father," she replied sarcastically. "But to Ben Cartwright, you say my dear father was named Joshua Templeton!"  
  
"Penny!" Douglas said with a laugh as he dismounted. "You know sarcasm doesn't become a lady. But perhaps you are not really a lady, hiding out in a cabin, just you and your boyfriend!"  
  
Without even realizing what she was doing, she slapped her father hard across the face. "HOW DARE YOU," she screamed, "talking about me and my fiancé like that!"  
  
For a few seconds her father held his hand to his cheek, then he slowly raised his gun and pointed at Penny. "You are going to pay for that, girl, even if it costs me the Cartwright fortune!"  
  
And with that, he pulled the trigger!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arriving at the top of the cliff, Adam surveyed the situation. He, like Hoss, was unable to spot Joe or Robert over the cliff top, and he knew this area well enough to know that there was no trail into the ravine that either a horse or a man could maneuver.  
  
Turning to Hoss, Adam told him to get his rope, while he retrieved his own rope off Sport. It looked to Adam like the only way to get down there was by climbing.  
  
Tying the ropes together and then one around his waist, and putting on his gloves, Adam said, "Hoss, I'll give you instructions as I go down as to how fast to lower me. Then I will call up and let you know what I find. Hopefully, you will then need to find a doctor, and nothing worse than that." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Penny cried out as the bullet entered her shoulder, than gave her father a look that was far more full of pain than a bullet alone could've caused.  
  
"Daddy," she whispered. "How could you?"  
  
Then she collapsed on the ground.  
  
Douglas cursed himself for acting out of spite and anger. He quickly rushed over to shove the gun into his daughter's hand, riding off without checking to see if she was alive or not.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe scowled at Robert.  
  
"Guess it would kill you to be nice, wouldn't it?"  
  
"Nope, rather it might kill me NOT to be nice and help you so you can help me," Robert retorted.  
  
Joe grabbed Robert by his shirt lapels at thrust his fist into the man's face, who, in turn, began to attack him, purposely squeezing Joe's broken leg, causing him to gasp in pain and ruining the recently fixed bone.  
  
They were, once again, so preoccupied with their own fight, that neither noticed Adam descending from a rope.  
  
Right as Adam reached the bottom, Robert was clutching at Joe's throat, sputtering, "I'm gonna make you sorry, Cartwright, if it's the last thing I do!"  
  
"Whoa!" Adam yelled, jerking Robert off of his brother and slamming him hard with his right fist, rendering the man unconscious. Seeing Robert was not an immediate threat, he ran to his brother, who was gasping for air.  
  
"That...man's...crazy," Joe managed to say.  
  
"How are you, Joe," Adam asked in concern.  
  
"OK...but...leg...hurts...bad."  
  
Adam nodded. "Well, that's to be expected. Lemme tell Hoss that you're okay. Then we'll get Robert up there, then we'll have to figure out how to get you up without causing you too much more pain."  
  
Getting Robert back to the top of the cliff wasn't much of a problem. Adam just tied the rope around the unconscious man and Hoss hauled him up, not caring much if Robert's body hit a few rocks on the way!  
  
Joe, however, was another matter. Adam reset the leg bone again, which was an even more painful process than it had been the first time. Adam was thankful that Joe stayed strong and did not pass out, though, because Adam knew he would need Joe's help in getting him out of there.  
  
Hoss lowered the rope again, and this time he tied his end onto Chubb's saddle horn, to help with the extra weight. Once again Adam tied the rope around his waist, then helped Joe climb onto his back, with his arms around Adam's neck. Slowly they began to ascend the rocky cliff, Chubb and Hoss pulling as Adam found footholds as best he could. He knew this was causing Joe a lot of pain, but Joe never made a sound during the whole ordeal.  
  
At last they reached the top, and Hoss got Joe off Adam's back. Joe looked up at his brother with a rather sickly smile, and then allowed the pain to take over, and he finally did pass out.  
  
By this time, Robert had come around. Refusing anymore help from the Cartwright brothers, he limped over to his camp to nurse his aching body.  
  
Putting Joe on Chubb in front of Hoss, Adam watched them head back to the ranch house as he prepared to go back to the cabin.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben was returning from town, discouraged, but determined! His lawyer agreed that the birth certificate did indeed appear to be real, but he told Ben that he would wire some fellow lawyers in California to follow up on Mrs. Templeton's story.  
  
As he rode along lost in thought, Ben suddenly realized that someone was walking on the road a good distance ahead of him. The person looked to be unsteady on their feet, weaving at times from side to side, and Ben suspected it was a cowhand who had been drinking. But as he got closer, he realized not only that the figure was a woman, but actually someone he knew.  
  
"Penny!" Ben yelled as he jumped from his horse, but he got no reaction. Running to get in front of her, he was stunned to see the blank look in her eyes, and the bullet hole in her shoulder! She was carrying a fancy gun that he had never seen before.  
  
Stopping her, Ben tried again to reach her. "Penny, it's me, Ben. Are you alright? Can you tell me what happened? Where's Adam?"  
  
At the sound of Adam's name, Penny managed to focus her eyes on Ben, and then she fell into his arms, crying. "I...don't...know...what...happened," she managed between sobs. "I...don't...remember...anything...after...Adam...left...me."  
  
Ben didn't ask anymore, but helped Penny sit down while he examined her shoulder. Fortunately, the bullet had passed all the way through, and there had not been too much loss of blood. As he tied his bandana around the wound, Ben wondered what Penny meant about Adam leaving her? Could they have had a major argument? Could Penny have possibly inflicted this wound upon herself, trying to shoot herself through the heart? After all, the wound was in her left shoulder. But Ben couldn't believe that Adam would have left her for ANY reason, so had something bad happened to him?  
  
But Penny didn't give him any answers, either unable or unwilling to remember what had happened.  
  
Ben ached for the emotional pain that Penny was going through. As he lifted her onto his horse, he told her that he was taking her back to the ranch house and assured her that everything was going to be fine now. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam returned to the spot where the supplies were and loaded them onto Sport, never noticing a crimson stain on the ground. Once he had gotten all the belongings together, he headed back to the cabin.  
  
"Penny?" Pushing open the door, he saw that she wasn't in the front room of the cabin, so decided she must be in the small adjoining room. Knocking lightly but receiving no answer, he pushed open that door, as well. "Penny?" She was no where in sight. Adam started getting even more nervous now, and frantically searched all around the house calling her name.  
  
Not knowing where she had gone, but figuring she had probably gone to look for him, he searched until he found some footprints leading away from the cabin. He followed them all the way back to where the supplies were, and only then noticed the blood stain.  
  
"Penny," he gasped, and then set out after the zigzagging trail yet again. At least he knew she was alive...so far, at least.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben barely had time to get Penny upstairs before he heard Hoss yelling his name from downstairs.  
  
"Hoss, what is it..." Ben began irritably, but as he turned the corner and saw Joe lying helplessly in his brother's arms with an awkwardly splinted leg, his heart skipped a beat and he realized the urgency of Hoss' shouting.  
  
"Put him on the settee," Ben commanded. He felt Joe's forehead and was grateful that it didn't seem feverish. "What happened, Hoss," he questioned as he continued to check his youngest son's health status.  
  
"He was arguin' with Robert over sumpthin' and..."  
  
"He was out of the house?" Ben was now truly exasperated.  
  
"Well, yeah, Pa, guess he was. But him and Robert went tumblin' right over the edge of a ravine."  
  
"A ravine." Ben sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Yup. And then I knew I couldn't get 'em outa there myself, cause I couldn't even see 'em, so I got Adam."  
  
"Adam?" Ben's ears pricked at the name and he glanced at the staircase, the puzzle finally coming together. Adam had left Penny to help Joe, and Penny probably didn't know about it. But had she shot herself because of it?  
  
"Yessir, Adam." Hoss continued, not seeing the thoughts churning in his father's head. "So Adam went down the cliff to help Joe an' Robert, and believe it or not, Pa, but the two of them were still fightin' even down there in that pit with Joe's leg busted up!"  
  
Ben sighed and frowned, looking at his youngest son. Leaning over Joe he cooed softly, "Son, when are you gonna learn to stay out of trouble?"  
  
Then, turning back to Hoss, he instructed, "Get one of the hands to go get the doctor for both Joe and Penny."  
  
Now it was Hoss' turn to be confused. "Penny?"  
  
Ben sighed yet again. "I'll tell you about it when you get back inside."  
  
Hoss nodded and went outside, surprised to see Adam barreling toward the house atop Sport.  
  
Leaping off Sport, Adam yelled at Hoss, "Have you seen Penny; is she here?"  
  
"Yeah, Adam, Pa just said she was, but he asked me to send for a doctor for both her and Joe and..." but Hoss didn't get to finish the sentence before Adam rushed into the house.  
  
Seeing his father bending over Joe, Adam went over to him and said, "Where's Penny? Is she alright?"  
  
"I'm sure she will be son," Ben answered, straightening up, "but I need to talk to you before you see her."  
  
Adam forced himself to calm down a bit, looking down at Joe and asking how he was doing.  
  
"Still unconscious, I'm afraid, and I don't like the looks of that leg! Now, why don't you sit down for a minute, son; you look exhausted!"  
  
Adam complied by sitting down in the blue chair in a rather slumped position, at the same time saying that he wasn't tired, just worried.  
  
"I saw the bloodstain, Pa; how did Penny get hurt?"  
  
Ben sat down in his chair across from Adam, trying to decide how best to tell Adam about what was on his mind.  
  
Gently, he started by telling Adam about finding Penny walking down the road with a gunshot wound in her shoulder.  
  
"A gunshot wound?" Adam said frantically, sitting up straight in his chair. "But how, why?"  
  
Hoss entered at that moment and joined Ben and Adam, giving Ben an extra minute to think while he told Hoss about Penny's injury.  
  
Finally, Ben looked Adam straight in the eye, and asked, "Did Penny know you had gone to help Joe? What was her frame of mind when you last saw her?"  
  
"No, she didn't know about Joe, and that concerned me," Adam answered, puzzled by his father's second question. "As far as her mood went, she had grown very quiet after you left, and I couldn't get her to talk to me about what she was thinking and feeling. But why are you asking about that?"  
  
"I'll explain in a minute," replied Ben. "But I have one final question. Did Penny have a gun with her, or was there one in the cabin?"  
  
Now Adam was becoming very concerned again. "I don't think so, Pa; she never mentioned one. Why is that important?"  
  
"Because I found her with a gun, and it had been fired. Son, I'm afraid she might have done this to herself, wanting to die!"  
A few minutes later Adam was sitting by Penny's bedside, unable to believe she was capable of what his father had said. As he held her hand and stroked her hair, he whispered, "Penny, sweetheart, it's Adam. I'm sorry I had to leave you for awhile, but I'm here now, and I won't leave you again. Please open your eyes and talk to me. I love you so much!"  
  
Slowly, Penny's eyelids fluttered, and then opened. She stared at Adam for a moment and then said, "Adam, why did you go away?"  
  
"I had to help Joe; he was injured, but it won't happen again. Can you tell me how you got shot?"  
  
"I don't know how it happened," she answered, "and I don't want to talk about it anymore," and she closed her eyes again.  
  
Adam let go of Penny's hand and covered his face with both of his hands, crying and praying at the same time.  
  
Adam stayed by Penny's side until the doctor arrived. He claimed to have woken Joe and given him a sedative, and was currently waiting for it to take full effect before caring for Joe's injured body.  
  
After examining her, Paul Martin bandaged her shoulder and placed her arm in a sling. He also left Adam with some medicine in case she needed it for the pain.  
  
"Is she gonna be alright, Doc?"  
  
Looking at the sleeping girl, Paul answered, "Yes, Adam. She'll be fine. But I must ask you, how did this happen?"  
  
Adam frowned, his eyes never leaving Penny. "I don't really know. She just showed up on the side of the rode with a gun in her hand and a bullet wound in her shoulder. Tried to get her to tell me about it, but just claimed she didn't want to."  
  
"Well," the doctor drawled, "I hope you get an answer from her. Right now I gotta see to Joe's leg."  
  
Adam nodded in understanding and returned to his silent vigil.  
  
Downstairs, the doctor looked over Joe's leg.  
  
"Looks like it's been under some awful kinda stress," Paul stated the obvious.  
  
"Yes, but how bad is it?"  
  
"The bone's set pretty good already, and normally I would cast it up, but seein' how it looks like it could be a mite infected, I'm gonna just wrap it up tight for the time being and try to stop any infection from spreading. I'd recommend that you let him sleep down here for awhile, so he doesn't have to worry about travelin' up or down the stairs, and make sure he takes it easy." Giving a chuckle, Paul added, "Knowin' Little Joe, that's gonna take the energy of your whole family!"  
  
Ben thanked the doctor, but before he could leave, Ben added, "Please don't mention seeing Adam or Penny here. Penny's father is trying to make their life miserable; fact is the only thing that would prolly make him leave them alone is if Penny was..."  
  
Suddenly, a light clicked on in Ben's head. "Paul, I changed my mind. Tell everyone in town that Penny is here, but she is dead!"  
  
Paul shrugged, and looking rather skeptical, added, "Whatever you say, Ben!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam was thumbing through one of his college textbooks while he kept an eye on the sleeping Penny. He was looking at a chapter on how the mind works. He knew that a person was capable of blocking out the memory of a traumatic experience, which he thought Penny might be doing, since he still refused to believe that attempted suicide was possible. What he didn't know was how to bring Penny out of her memory block. And what could have happened to her in the time he was gone that was so traumatic? Until he had some answers from her, he vowed not to leave her alone for even a minute.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ben and Hoss had moved Joe to the bed in the downstairs bedroom, and were concerned that Joe was now showing signs of infection in his leg. The doctor hadn't said it, not yet anyways, but Ben knew an injury this bad could result in a man losing his leg; he had seen it happen before. And he was determined not to let this happen to Joe.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the meantime, word was beginning to get around Virginia City about Joe's accident, and the death of Penny Green. The Fergusons were in town with Marie, and as soon as they heard the news, the couple decided to drive out immediately to the Ponderosa, even though Marie protested that idea.  
  
And, in the saloon, Penny's father sat at a table nursing a beer. He was assessing the news about Penny, and what kind of effect this would now have on his plans. He had already given the phony telegraph, supposedly from his wife, to the telegraph officer, so Mrs. Templeton's plans were still moving right along. His plans could continue, also, if he could just think of a way to blame Penny's death on Adam Cartwright. His charge of Adam having attacked Penny would help, along with Adam's escape and the kidnapping of his daughter. This could work out even better than he had hoped if he just played his cards right, and could give him a bigger payoff than he had expected. He decided that his first move was to have another talk with the sheriff. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'll wait here," Marie instructed Harold.  
  
"No, Marie," Harold shook his head. "I KNOW you didn't know Penny very well, but it can't hurt to simply offer up your condolences! Now please, come on, girl!"  
  
Marie stuck out her bottom lip in obvious disapproval but followed her adopted father anyway. The truth was, she was worried that Joe would bring up her past, especially in front of her new parents, and she would loose everything she had gained in the past few days.  
  
Harold and Fran rapped on the door lightly, and Ben answered.  
  
"Hello, Harold, Fran." Ben did an admirable job of keeping a polite somberness. After all, he was supposed to have just lost his soon to be daughter-in-law!  
  
Marie walked timidly into the house behind her parents, looking for any sign of Joe. Seeing none, she began to relax, but that was short-lived. The moment she caught Ben's condescending gaze, she knew Joe must've told his father. She suddenly felt very sick inside.  
  
"We brought you some pie," Fran offered the freshly backed food out to Ben, who accepted it. "How's Adam holding out in all this?"  
  
Ben grunted. "He's okay, I guess, although he mainly wants to keep to himself. He doesn't really want to talk to anyone about it, but he'll move on in due time, I suppose."  
  
"And how is Joe after his accident?"  
  
Ben frowned, but this time it was not an act. "We can only take it one day at a time, Mrs. Ferguson, and hope for the best."  
  
Mr. Ferguson piped in. "Ben? Is Joe up to having visitors?"  
  
"I guess it might be alright, as long as it's not too long."  
  
Mr. Ferguson grinned. "Good. Marie, would you go in and thank Joe for helping you out the other day?"  
  
Marie paled, trembling slightly.  
  
Ben scowled. He hadn't wanted Marie to be alone with Joe, but knew he couldn't take back his word now.  
  
Harold Ferguson gave Marie such a stern look that she knew she had to talk to Joe. "Where's is he, Mr. Cartwright," she asked.  
  
She followed the direction he was pointing, her stomach turning over itself, and opened the door.  
  
Marie was astonished at how pale Joe looked. Closing the door behind her, she walked uncertainly over to Joe, who was awake but refusing to acknowledge her presence.  
  
"Joe?" Ringing her hands together, she took a step closer to the bed. Looking around nervously for someone that wasn't there, she leaned in close to the ill man. "Please don't tell, ok? About me, and...and..."  
  
Joe, thinking she was talking about her marriage to Robert, turned over painfully to finally face her.  
  
Almost spitefully, he whispered, "Hoss already knows, Marie, and I'm sure it'll get around town soon enough. You can't just hide things like that."  
  
Marie's eyes filled with tears and felt the sickness inside her could be contained no longer. Bursting through the door, she ran past her parents and Ben, all sipping coffee, and ran out into the yard, crying and resisting the urge to throw up.  
  
Having received permission from the Fergusons to follow Marie outside, Ben almost felt sorry for her when he finally spotted her, she looked so young and scared. But he knew he could not allow her to deceive him once again.  
  
"We need to talk, young lady," he began gruffly, but was surprised when, instead of acting angry, Marie threw herself in his arms.  
  
"Please help me, Mr. Cartwright," she begged, looking up into his eyes. "I have lied to you about a lot of things, and I've done other things I'm not proud of, but I don't want to have to marry Robert and I don't want the Fergusons to hate me."  
  
Taken aback by this flurry of confession and pleading, Ben held Marie against him for a few minutes until her crying ceased, then said with a more gentle tone, "Let's sit down and talk."  
  
Marie was so relieved to finally be able to talk to someone about everything, that it all just spilled out in one big pile of words. She told of how she had run away from the orphanage and gone to work in a nearby saloon. She also told how she had worked her way across the country by working in more saloons. But she swore that she had never been what they called a saloon gal; the bar owners never thought she was good enough for that. So she had washed dishes, scrubbed floors, and even cleaned out the spittoons. That wasn't to say that she wouldn't have worked as a saloon gal if she had had the chance; she might have, but she just didn't know for sure. She had slept on bare floors and in alleyways, and had even drunk heavy liquor when she had nothing to eat. And now Robert was threatening to tell everyone about her past if she didn't marry him.  
  
After awhile, spent from all that she had told Ben, Marie just sat quietly, waiting for his reply.  
  
The telegraph Ben had received about Marie confirmed the first part of her story, about running away from the orphanage and working in a saloon. But there had been no mention of what job she had in the saloon.  
  
Ben also believed her story about Robert holding something over her head if she didn't marry him, because her decision to be his wife had been too abrupt.  
  
So finally Ben told her, "I am willing to help you if you really are telling me the truth. But I have two conditions about that help; first, you must stay away from Joseph from now on, and second, you must prove worthy of my help by telling the Fergusons the truth."  
  
"But what if they don't understand?" Marie asked pitifully.  
  
"That's the chance you have to take; but if you are honest with them, I believe they will be understanding, and then we can all help you with the problem involving Robert."  
  
As Ben finished saying this, he looked up to see two men riding around the corner of the barn; it was Sheriff Coffee and Douglas Green.  
  
"Ben," Roy blurted dejectedly. "I've got a warrant out for Adam's arrest."  
  
Ben glanced at Marie, who was furiously trying to wipe the tears from her face. "What for, Roy," he asked.  
  
"For the murder of Penny Green."  
  
Ben remained surprisingly calm. He knew something like this would probably happen, and was well prepared for it.  
  
"On who's account," Ben asked sternly.  
  
Douglas Green spoke up for himself. "I saw the whole thing, Mr. Cartwright. I was in the woods, about to come over when I saw Penny and Adam fighting. Adam lowered the gun at her and fired. I wasn't sure whether to go over there or not, but when I saw Adam bend over her body and gloat to himself that she was dead, I knew I had to stay hidden so I could testify against him. I already gave my statement to the sheriff."  
  
A smile played at the corner of Ben's lips. Finally, something was going his way. "You did, did you? Well, let me ask you something, Mr. Green."  
  
Mr. Green gave Ben an untrusting look. "What is it?"  
  
"Come off your horse please, so I can have a good look at your gun belt."  
  
Douglas Green unhappily complied while Roy watched in bemused fascination. Marie, her eyes finally dry of tears, stepped up next to Ben and look at him curiously.  
  
"Mr. Green," Ben began authoritatively. "This gun belt of yours obviously was made for a bigger gun than you've got, wasn't it?"  
  
Mr. Green frowned. "Yes, but I lost my other one, so this one is just gonna have to do for awhile."  
  
Ben thought and then nodded. "And you claim to have seen Adam shoot and kill Penny, then gloat over her death, right?"  
  
"Well, yes, but I don't see what any of this has to do with..."  
  
"Your daughter," Ben interrupted, "was found with a weapon in her own hand, and a bullet through her heart. That weapon, sir, was a gun that I believe would fit very nicely in your gun belt, especially since both of them are unusually sizes."  
  
"That doesn't mean anything!"  
  
"I believe it does, Mr. Green, because your daughter isn't dead!"  
  
Douglas Green's eyes widened. "She isn't?"  
  
"Nope. Your attempt to kill your own daughter with your gun and then frame it as suicide and then death, failed, Mr. Green!"  
  
Roy smiled smugly at Mr. Green, happy that Ben was proving Adam's innocence and Mr. Green's guilt.  
  
Marie, watching the whole thing in excitement, was beginning to decide that she really was growing quite fond of the Cartwrights.  
  
Ben took the smaller gun out of Mr. Green's gun belt and handed it to Roy.  
  
"The gun used on Penny is inside. She DID sustain a wound to the shoulder, but I'm sure she will be able to give you a statement soon."  
  
"No hurry, Ben," Roy replied. "It will be my pleasure to keep this fella locked up until Penny has completely recovered. Now, get going," Roy said to Mr. Green, pointing his own gun at him as they slowly rode away.  
  
"You handled that wonderfully, Mr. Cartwright," gushed Marie. "You were so calm and brave!"  
  
"And now I believe there is something you need to handle, Missy," Ben answered, still unable to call this girl Marie. "But I think it should be handled in the privacy of your own home; I will get in touch with the Fergusons later about how they want to handle Robert."  
  
"Yes, sir," Marie replied contritely.  
After the Fergusons left, rejoicing at the news that Penny was indeed alive, Ben went upstairs to Penny's room. She was still asleep, and Adam was just sitting and staring at her, holding her hand and willing her to wake up so they could talk.  
  
"Son, may I speak to you out in the hallway?" Ben whispered. Ben had not told Adam yet about his plan to try to trap Penny's father, just in case it didn't work. But now Adam needed to know what the shock was that Penny had experienced.  
  
Adam felt sick at the thought of what Mr. Green had done, but was thankful for proof that Penny's wound wasn't self-inflicted.  
  
Going back to Penny's side after speaking with his father, he heard her give a low moan as she tried to turn over, and then she opened her eyes and looked at him.  
  
"Penny, how do you feel," he asked her.  
  
"Like I need to be held," she murmured. So Adam laid down on top of the cover and wrapped his arms around Penny, careful not to hurt her shoulder. He was certain, now, that she was going to be alright.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Checking on Joe, Ben could tell that he had a slight fever, but the infection didn't seem to have progressed any. Not sure whether or not to bring up the subject of Marie, Ben finally decided it might be best to, in order to see what Joe was thinking.  
  
"What happened between you and the Ferguson girl; she didn't visit you very long."  
  
Not wanting to talk about it, but afraid that his father would not go away if he didn't, Joe finally offered, "Oh, I just said something about her marrying Robert, and she got mad."  
  
"Actually, Joseph, she doesn't plan to marry Robert; that was only in HIS mind. But that doesn't mean she wants to be with you, either."  
  
"But, Pa," Joe argued, "She asked me not to tell about her and Robert getting married."  
  
"What were her exact words, Joe?"  
  
"That she didn't want me to tell about her and, well, then I kind of interrupted her."  
  
Ben smiled at his son's impetuous nature, and then explained to him about Marie's past.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Marie sadly told Harold and Fran about running away from the orphanage and working in saloons, expecting to receive a harsh reply and for them to throw her out of their house, but instead they listened intently to her whole story, passing her tissues when need be.  
  
When she had finished, both Harold and Fran were crying, too, and they embraced her, telling her that their love for her wouldn't change no matter what she did.  
  
For the first time in her short yet difficult life, Marie finally felt like she had a family.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Robert had no idea that Marie's past had been revealed, so he was on his way to the Ferguson's household to retrieve what he thought to be his bride- to-be. Imagine his surprise when, after opening up the door, he received a powerful punch in the face that rendered him unconscious!!  
  
And the most surprising thing of all was that the punch came from Marie herself! The Fergusons watched it happen and just shook their heads at each other, realizing how much work it was going to take to turn this girl into a lady. But they did hope that Robert got the message that Marie was trying to send him!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Worn out from their hectic day, Ben and Hoss were finally eating supper when Adam joined them. He told them that Penny now remembered what her father had done to her, but wanted to talk to a lawyer before giving her statement to Roy, in the hope of still finding a way to get her father the help he needed.  
  
After discussing Penny and her father, Adam glanced behind him to make sure the door to the bedroom Joe was in was tightly closed before asking, "Have you broken the news to Joe about what Mrs. Templeton said regarding his mother?"  
  
"Not yet," answered Ben, "he is going through enough right now without having to deal with that news. I am just going to make sure no one visits him that knows about it until I have told him about it myself."  
  
"Pa," spoke up Hoss between mouthfuls of Hop Sings good cooking, "maybe Mr. Green will confess now to lying 'bout Penny's birth?"  
  
"I already thought of that," answered Ben, "but I am not counting on it. After all, I'm the one who exposed his guilt in regards to Penny; why would he do me any favors?"  
  
"Perhaps he would do it in exchange for Penny not pressing charges against him," offered Adam. "But I guess then his testimony would be questionable."  
  
"Well," concluded Ben, "I am too tired to deal with this anymore tonight. As soon as I finish eating, I'm going to bed!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Very early the next morning, before daylight, Penny came downstairs. She had awakened abruptly, feeling the need to check on Joe and talk to him, so she had thrown on her robe and headed for his temporary room.  
  
The door to the room was open, and an oil lamp was burning in the corner of the room. Hoss was snoring away in a chair by Joe's bed, but Penny could see that Joe's eyes were open, so she went over to the opposite side of the bed that Hoss was on. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Penny quietly asked Joe if he would like some company.  
  
Giving her a bit of a smile, Joe replied, "That would be fine. I can't sleep with all that noise coming out of Hoss, and my thoughts right now aren't the best company for me." Changing the subject, Joe asked, "How is your shoulder doing?"  
  
"Better, especially since I have everything straight in my mind again. And how are you doing?"  
  
"I guess it's still touch and go with the infection, but so far the medicine seems to be helping."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that," answered Penny, but then, after some hesitation, she asked, "Would it help to talk about us both possibly having the same mother?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Joe looked at Penny, both startled and confused by her words.  
  
Penny squinted at Joe and frowned. "You mean you don't wonna talk about it?"  
  
"Talk about what, Penny," Joe answered cautiously.  
  
It suddenly hit Penny that Joe might not know, and she grimaced at the thought of having to break the news to him.  
  
"About Marie, your mother, and how I might be Marie's daughter."  
  
"How?" Joe asked, glancing around furtively.  
  
Penny explained the whole story, and Joe grew more and more upset as the tainted image of his mother progressed. Finally, when she was finished, Joe leaned toward Penny and replied, his voice thick with emotion, "It's not true. My mother could never do such a thing, I know it!"  
  
Hoss woke at the sound of his brother's distraught voice and quickly assessed the situation. The only information he could get was that Joe was very upset, and Penny seemed very guilty about something. Hoss, though not given credit a lot of the time, knew by the stricken look on his brother's face that Joe had more than likely found out about his mother. This was confirmed when Joe turned to him, lips pursed and jaw set in anger.  
  
"I'm gonna kill both of 'em, these people who lied about my mother, Hoss," Joe grated.  
  
"Now hold on, Little Brother," Hoss tried to calm Joe down.  
  
"I'm gonna kill 'em Hoss." Joe threw back the covers and attempted to get out of bed, but Hoss and Penny were right there to push him back down.  
  
"I'm gonna kill 'em!" Joe yelled, though he was starting to loose some fervor. Hoss held him down for a few more minutes, and Joe's energy was soon completely spent and he drifted off to a restless sleep.  
  
Amidst Penny apologizing profusely and Hoss replying that it was bound to happen anyways, Hoss gave Joe another sedative, and soon Joe was lost in a deep slumber.  
  
"C'mon, Penny, let's go," coaxed Hoss, leading the somber woman out of the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Marie offered to take Robert to town to see the sheriff about pressing charges for any reason possible against Robert. Harold and Fran allowed her to, after being sure that the unconscious Robert was securely tied in the back of the buggy, that is.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe's feeling of malice toward the people who lied about his mother was greater than any effect the medicine could have on him, so in fifteen minutes he was being aroused by his own need to find the truth. Painfully forcing his way out of bed, he hopped on his good foot to the window. The throbbing made his head swoon, but he pressed on anyway.  
  
Making sure no one was outside, Joe slid out the window, a slow and laboring process, which he managed, somehow, to complete even with the sedative working in his system.  
  
Luckily for him, one of the ranch hand's horses was outside and ready to be ridden, so Joe went over and pulled himself clumsily onto it and trotted away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unable to come up with much of anything to charge Robert with, since she went with him willingly in the first place, Marie was satisfied with Sheriff Coffee telling Robert he had 24 hours to leave Virginia City, and he was never to come back.  
  
On her way back home, Marie was surprised to see a horse in the distance, just walking slowly down the road with what looked like a dead man on his back. But as she got closer, she recognized the man as Little Joe!  
  
Stopping her buggy and jumping out, she ran over to Joe and was thankful to find that he was only sleeping, though how he could sleep in that crazy way she couldn't figure out. Shaking him lightly at first, and then harder, she finally got him to look at her, though it was through groggy eyes. "Helen?" he asked.  
  
"No, Joe, don't you remember? It's Marie."  
  
"Oh, yeah, that's what I meant," Joe replied, raising up and shaking himself more awake. Then suddenly remembering the mission he was on, he said, "Marie, I need your help. There is a woman in town I have to see. She is telling lies about my mother!"  
  
Remembering how Ben had told her not to be around Joe, but also hearing the urgency in Joe's voice, Marie made a quick decision and helped Joe into the buggy, and they headed back to town.  
  
By the time they arrived, they had worked out at least a partial plan. Parking the buggy behind a building, Marie left Joe there and went into the hotel. Locating the room that Mrs. Templeton was staying in, Marie knocked on the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Discovering that Joe was missing when he went down to check on him, and going on the clues of the open window in Joe's room and the missing horse, Ben was saddling his own horse to go after Joe, thinking that he had gone to see Marie. And Ben was VERY angry.  
  
But Penny came running out of the house just in time to stop him as he was about to ride away, and explained how she had told Joe about the problem with Mrs. Templeton. Now Ben headed for town, more worried than he was angry. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Come in," came the sing-song response from Mrs. Templeton's room.  
  
Marie pushed open the door and peered inside before walking in.  
  
"How may I help you, young lady," Mrs. Templeton smiled at Marie.  
  
Marie was unsure how to bring up the subject, but finally decided the direct approach was best. "I'm a friend of the Cartwrights, and I was wondering what exactly your motives are for claiming that Penny is your husbands daughter."  
  
Violet Templeton fluttered her over-exaggerated eyelashes in innocence. "Motives? Why, I simply wish to find out the truth, much like Mr. Cartwright does, I'm sure!"  
  
Marie slowly shook her head. "We both know that just isn't true. Now why don't you be frank with me, and maybe I can help you negotiate with Mr. Cartwright on what you think a proper payment would be for keeping this information.um.private."  
  
Violet eyed Marie apprehensively. "I don't believe you'd help me negotiate with anyone unless there was a deal in it for you."  
  
"So then you DO have ulterior reasons for saying your husband had an illegitimate child with another man's wife, don't you?"  
  
Joe, meanwhile, had expectedly disobeyed Marie and hobbled up to the top of the landing, and was now listening intently to the conversation conspiring behind the partially closed hotel room door.  
  
Violet snubbed Marie, her nose rising into the air with indignation. "I don't know what you are talking about, and wish you would go before I have to get someone to force you to leave."  
  
This wasn't transpiring the way either Marie or Joe had planned, but Marie's determination wouldn't allow her to give up. So she pressed for more information, a futile effort though it may have been.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ben was heading toward the Virginia City motel, where he had heard that Violet was staying, and he hoped that if he found Joe there, his youngest son would manage to stay out of trouble.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Finally, Joe could take hearing Violet's claims of ignorance any longer, and he burst into the room and walked, with the support of the walls, desks, and chairs, over to Violet. Marie tried to stop him, but he brushed past her.  
  
"You." Joe pointed in Mrs. Templeton's face. "You are nothing but a coward and a liar, trying to get money any easy way you can find it, and I'm sick of it. Tell me the TRUTH, Mrs. Templeton. Why ARE you here?"  
  
"You already know, boy," Mrs. Templeton stated firmly.  
  
Deciding to bluff, Joe accused, "You bet I know!! I've got solid evidence that you've been lying, not only about my mother but several other wealthy people in this area as well, and let me warn you that it's enough to put you away for several years."  
  
Joe struck a nerve, for Mrs. Templeton really had made her fortune this way! The thought of going to jail did anything but appeal to her, so, in one swift movement, before Joe knew what was happening, Violet grabbed a knife off of the nightstand behind her and threw her bodyweight towards Joe's heart, attempting to kill him.  
  
"No!" Marie, saw the glint of the blade and, without so much as a hesitant thought, she shoved her way between Joe and the knife, taking the brunt of it herself and keeping Joe out of danger. She yelped in pain and Joe tumbled to the ground as she fell into him.  
  
Right as this was happening, Ben sprinted through the open doorway and into the room, gasping in horror at the events that were transpiring.  
  
Mrs. Templeton rushed past Ben and out the door. Joe, unable to take in what had actually happened, yelled for his father to stop her, but Ben headed for Joe and Marie. He could see the knife sticking out of Marie's back, and could tell from the bleeding that the injury was bad.  
  
Checking for a pulse, Ben said, "Joe, Marie's been hurt, so don't move. I'm going to send someone for the doctor!"  
  
Joe now realized why Marie had knocked him down. Afraid to even touch her for fear of doing more damage, Joe just began to pray.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Having been alerted by Penny to the fact that Joe was missing, Adam and Hoss weren't far behind their father. As they rode into Virginia City, they saw Mrs. Templeton running to the livery stable. Knowing that Joe had probably gone to see her, and suspecting that she was trying to make a getaway, Adam motioned for Hoss to continue on to the hotel, while he dismounted and stood outside the partially opened door of the stable, listening to the conversation inside.  
  
"Well, ma'am," said old Amos Reams from inside, "I could fix you up with some transport, but it'd take awhile."  
  
"I told you, I don't have awhile," answered Mrs. Templeton, her voice higher than what was even usual for her due to hysteria, "I need to leave NOW, even if I have to ride a horse bareback!"  
  
With that, Adam stepped inside, saying, "What's the hurry, Mrs. Templeton? I don't believe your business in Virginia City is settled yet. Why don't we just go check in with the sheriff and see what he has to say about you leaving town."  
  
Mrs. Templeton's face flashed with worry, then fear, and finally anger.  
  
"I shoulda known better than to mess with the Cartwrights," she spouted in irate displeasure. Her eyes locked onto a pistol left carelessly on a post in the stable, and she smiled; twisted scheme formulating in her mind. Pushing Amos in front of her while diving for the gun, she then ducked behind a stack of lumber and began firing. Or at least tried to. The gun was empty, and as soon as Adam caught onto that, he followed Violet behind the wood and dragged the flailing woman to the sheriff's office.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Joe?" Marie's voice was feeble, but strong enough to jolt Joe from his intense prayer.  
  
"Marie!" Joe was at the girl's side in an instant, trying to make her comfortable.  
  
Her breathing labored and heavy and her words coming out in gasps, she managed, "Tell...your father...I'm sorry that...that..." Pain caused her to momentarily loose her thought, but at Joe's urging, she finished, "that I disobeyed him. And thank you, Joe...for being..." her face twisted and tears began to fall from her eyes as she struggled to push herself off the floor. She just had to tell him what she was thinking, though, so she breathed, "my friend."  
  
She then lost consciousness.  
  
Hoss, standing behind Joe and watching the conversation, quickly moved to check Marie's pulse and was relieved to find her still alive.  
  
"Pa's gettin' the doctor," Joe offered.  
  
"What happened, Joe," Hoss questioned softly. He, too, was afraid to move Marie and worsen her predicament, so he just sat with an encouraging hand on her still shoulder.  
  
"Saved my life." Joe replied in such a nonchalant way, as if relaying the weather, that Hoss did a double-take.  
  
Before Hoss could ask any more questions, though, Ben rushed in with Doctor Martin, who quickly attended Marie.  
  
"We need to get her on a higher surface," he barked, and cleared off the table with a sweep of his hand and motioned for Hoss and Ben to help him move Marie from the floor to the table, where she laid face down.  
  
Hoss led Joe out of the room while the doctor worked to keep Marie alive, and Ben bustled around like a soon-to-be father waiting for his wife to deliver.  
  
Adam bounded up the stairs and met his brothers, relating his encounter with Violet Templeton, who was now in the custody of the sheriff, and he demanded to know why she had run away.  
  
Hoss, being in the dark as much as Adam, simply shrugged, and both brothers looked to Little Joe to clear up their confusion.  
  
"I called her bluff," Joe said without looking at Adam or Hoss. "I said I had proof that she had pulled this kind of thing before on wealthy families, to get money from them for her silence. I musta been right, because she went crazy and tried to stick a knife in me."  
  
"The knife hit Marie instead," Hoss informed Adam. "Doc Martin is trying to save her life right now."  
  
"Is this true, Joe?" Adam asked, standing right in front of Joe to try to force him to look at him. "Did Marie take the knife for you?"  
  
"Reckon so," Joe answered, still staring into space.  
  
"Then why don't you show some concern for her, for pity sake," Adam strongly replied, even shaking Joe to try to bring him out of his stupor. "Haven't you thought about only yourself long enough now? Can't you feel ANYTHING for anyone else?"  
  
Just then Ben entered the room. He looked to see what was transpiring between Joe and Adam, but said to Hoss, "You'd better go get the Fergusons; the doctor has the knife out, but says it's too soon to tell if the girl will make it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Still feeling guilty about telling Joe about what Mrs. Templeton had said regarding his mother, Penny had one of the ranch hands hitch up a buggy for her, and was on her way to town to see if she could help with anything. Guiding the horse with just her good arm was a bit difficult, and the horse and buggy kept straying off the road. Finally the wheel of the buggy went into a deep rut, almost turning it on its side. Penny got out, unhurt, but found that it was impossible for her to pull the wheel out. So she managed to unhitch the horse, and it headed back to the barn. She was about halfway between the ranch and town, and wasn't sure which way she should start walking.  
  
She headed for town.  
  
As she walked along briskly, she heard a horse coming in the distance and was relieved to find Hoss heading towards her.  
  
Stopping to meet the figure meandering over to him, Hoss was surprised to see Penny.  
  
"Whaddaya doing out here by your lonesome, Miss Penny?"  
  
Penny sighed and explained her reasons for trying to get to town, and then apologized about the buggy falling in the ditch.  
  
"Don't worry about it, we'll get it out in a little while," Hoss replied while helping Penny up onto Chubb.  
  
Now it was Hoss' turn to explain where he was going and why, and Penny listened intently, still feeling a twinge of guilt over the situation  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Joe leaned close into Adam's face.  
  
"How many times can I cry, Adam," Joe questioned his countenance a picture of desperation. "I've cried over Helen, I've cried over Ma. I've been angry and injured and in pain, both physically and otherwise. I can't feel anything anymore, Adam. Not right now, at least."  
  
Joe left, leaving his oldest brother and father in a somber state together.  
  
Finally, Ben spoke.  
  
"I was so wrong about Marie. Who am I to judge whether she's too wild for Joe or not?"  
  
Adam stood, silently contemplating his father's words.  
  
"Adam," Ben added. "If she hadn't been as aggressive and fearless as she was, she might not have jumped in front of Joe to save his life." His voice getting a touch emotional, Ben finished, "I just pray she's okay so I can get a chance to thank her and apologize."  
  
Adam allowed himself a tight-lipped smile. "Ya know, Pa, she wanted to apologize to you too. Hoss told me he walked in on Joe and Marie right as she was telling him to ask you for forgiveness."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"For not staying away from Joe."  
  
Ben sadly looked down at the elegantly carpeted floor of the hotel hallway. "She's a good kid, Adam. Taught me a lesson without even realizing it." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Joe only made it as far as the hotel lobby, where he plopped down on a settee. He knew he shouldn't be putting weight on his bad leg, but right now he didn't care if he did end up being crippled all of his life. All he COULD think about was Marie, and whether or not she would live, but he just couldn't say that to his older brother, so he closed his eyes tight, and just wished all the pain and trouble would go away, for everyone.  
Adam left the hotel to tell the sheriff what he had learned about Mrs. Templeton. He saw Joe in the lobby, and was glad to know where he was, but decided it was best to leave him by himself for now.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hoss didn't even bother to get off Chubb, just giving the Ferguson's the message about Marie, and turning the horse back towards town. He wasn't going as fast as normal, however, realizing that between trying to hang onto him and being bounced up and down by the horse, Penny was probably in some pain, although she never said a word about it.  
  
Besides, going more slowly gave him a chance to talk to the young woman.  
  
"Hope you ain't still blaming yourself for Joe finding out about Mrs. Templeton," he told Penny, with concern in his voice. "There weren't no way you could have known that he hadn't been told."  
  
"I could have asked someone first," came back Penny's sad reply. "Now Marie could die because of my mistake."  
  
"NO!" said Hoss emphatically. "Mrs. Templeton is solely to blame for what happened to Marie. And now at least we know she was lyin'. It'll be alright for you and Adam to get hitched soon!"  
  
"I don't want to get married now until Joe is well," Penny replied, "and able to be happy for us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Finding Joe on the settee, Ben didn't believe that he was sleeping, so he pulled a chair over beside Joe and said, "Son, we need to talk, and I want you to listen and listen good."  
  
Joe opened his eyes and looked sadly at his father, expecting to hear bad news.  
  
"We don't know about Marie yet, but she's a survivor, and I think she'll make it through this. And when she does, you'll need to be there for her, but not in the shape you're in now!  
  
"When your mother died, I felt just like you do, empty and alone inside. I wasn't even available to you, emotionally. What finally got me through that black period was the love you and your brothers had for me. You LOVED me back to health, and that is just what you need to let your family do for you now. We all love you; me, Adam, Hoss, and Penny, too. And if you will just give us the chance, we can help you to begin the healing process!"  
  
Joe turned his face so he was looking away from his father. His emotions were still raw and unyielding, but when Ben pulled him into a tight hug, he allowed the tears to come once more.  
  
After a few moments of embracing, Joe held himself together and leaned back, wiping his face in slight embarrassment over such outward displays of emotion.  
  
Ben recognized Joe's sudden shame, so he quickly changed the subject. "Now let's see how that leg is doing, okay?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Aww, Come on," Hoss replied, glancing awkwardly over his shoulder to attempt catching a glimpse of Penny's face. "You know as well as I do that Joe'll be happy for you an' Adam no matter what happens, to him or Marie."  
  
"No, I don't know Hoss!" Though she was looking at his back, Penny's eyes were pleading and asking him for understanding.  
  
Hoss sighed. "Well, I guess you'll jus' have ta talk to Joe about this yerself, but I'm sure he'll say the same thing."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As soon as Sheriff Coffee learned about Mrs. Templeton, he began wiring all over for any other information he could glean about her. Within a short while, it was learned that well over fifteen other individuals were currently being blackmailed by the woman.  
  
Her true identity now revealed, Roy told Adam that he was confident Mrs. Templeton would not only be convicted of her crime in a courtroom, but also sent to prison for an extensive amount of time.  
  
Adam headed back to the hotel, and when he got in the lobby, found Ben huddled over Joe's elevated leg.  
  
"What happened," Adam inquired, immediately concerned that his brother had injured his leg even worse.  
  
Ben looked up at his son and smiled. "I was just doing my own little examination of Joe's leg to make sure this rascal didn't do any more damage!"  
  
"And how's it look," Adam leaned in to check on the dilapidated limb himself, but also to maybe catch a glimpse of how Joe himself was actually doing. Seeing his brother's light smile, he immediately felt much more at ease.  
  
"Well, seems like it could still be on the verge of becoming infected, but I believe he didn't do to much more damage to the bone itself."  
  
"Glad to hear that, Dr. Cartwright," Adam jested.  
  
Ben and Joe shared a laugh at this remark, but the sound of heavy footsteps descending the hotel staircase alerted them to someone approaching. Doctor Martin appeared, sighing heavily.  
  
"She's up at the moment, although extremely disoriented and groggy," the doctor informed them before addressing Joe directly. "She keeps asking for you, son, although she specified that she only wants you to come if you have your father's permission."  
  
"What do you think, son?" Ben inquired of Joe.  
  
"I'd like to see her, Pa," Joe answered.  
  
"Then let's find you something to use as a cane," Ben continued, "and then you can go see Marie not only with my permission, but with my blessing!"  
Marie had been moved to the bed in the hotel room, and was lying on her side facing the door as Joe entered. She was as white as the sheet that was covering her, her eyes closed, and Joe thought how helpless she looked, knowing that normally she was anything but helpless.  
  
As he sat down in a chair by the bed, he leaned forward, putting his hand over Marie's and noting how cold it was. Realizing for the first time that someone was there, Marie slowly opened her eyes and softly said, "Joe."  
  
"Save your strength, Marie," Joe replied, "and let me do the talking. My Pa said to thank you for saving my life, and to tell you that he is sorry he misjudged you. And I want to thank you for saving my life, too. I never should have involved you in this, and I plan to make it up to you as soon as you are better. We'll get to be really good friends, and I can even teach you how to read."  
  
"But, Joe," Marie struggled to say through her grogginess, "I'm not Helen; I can't ever be Helen."  
  
"I know that now," Joe replied quietly, "and I don't want you to be Helen. I want to get to know Marie, and I am proud that you share my ma's name!" And Joe kissed Marie on the forehead as she went into a restful sleep.  
Going back to the lobby when the Fergusons arrived, Joe found only Penny there, in the chair by the settee. Exhausted, Joe fell back onto the settee, asking Penny where everyone had gone.  
  
"Ben's at the sheriff's office, signing a complaint against Mrs. Templeton," Penny answered, "and Adam is speaking to your family's lawyer, arranging for my father to be sent to a hospital back in Boston. Hoss," she hesitated, "well, Hoss just made himself scarce because he knew I wanted to talk to you privately."  
  
"What about?" Joe inquired, turning his face to look at Penny, and noticing that she had a worried look on her face.  
  
"I feel really bad, Joe, that I got you and Marie into this mess today. I won't be able to forgive myself if this has caused more damage to your leg, or if Marie..."and her voice trailed off.  
  
"I'm fine," Joe answered, smiling at Penny, "and I'm sure Marie will be, too. Besides, none of this was your fault; you only told me the facts; I'm the one that acted foolishly after learning them, and I am the one that got Marie involved."  
  
"But..." Penny began.  
  
"No buts," Joe answered. "Now, as my big brother would say, let me see one of those dazzling smiles of yours!" and both Joe and Penny laughed.  
  
Entering the hotel at that exact moment, Adam was pleased to see both Joe and Penny looking and acting more normal.  
  
"What's so funny," he asked, as he perched on the arm of Penny's chair, putting his arm around her shoulder.  
  
"I was just wondering when you are ever going to get around to giving me a sister-in-law," Joe quipped, grinning at Adam.  
  
"Well now," answered Adam, smiling back. "Would by the time you are well enough to be my best man be soon enough?"  
  
"Me?" Joe asked, his smile suddenly being replaced by a look of confusion. "Surely you want Hoss for that role."  
  
"No," answered Penny. "Hoss is going to escort me down the aisle, because Adam really does want you to be his best man."  
  
"So what do you say, little buddy?" Adam asked again, "Will you do that for me, preferably sometime before I'm too old and feeble to get married?"  
  
"You bet!" Joe answered with enthusiasm, "and you are right that we don't have much time to waste!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A month had passed, and Penny found herself preparing for her wedding day in the back room. She smiled at her image in the mirror, tall and beautiful in the wedding dress she had sewn herself, and this time without rushing to finish it!  
  
"You look absolutely beautiful!" Marie came over and rested her hand on Penny's back, admiring the dress that hung loosely from the bride's shoulders. It was white satin and accented her thin waist while contrasting sharply with her dark hair.  
  
Penny smiled at her new-found friend and bridesmaid, wearing a dress that Marie had sewn under the lengthy and time-consuming instruction of Penny. The dress was a deep green, which served to reflect the girl's hazel eyes.  
  
"You look wonderful yourself, Marie," Penny said, grinning. "And your dress came out nicely, but then again I think it's only because you had a wonderful teacher!"  
  
Marie crinkled her nose in mock anger before retorting, "Yeah, well at least I didn't stick my finger with a needle!"  
  
Penny laughed at the incident and looked at her still tender index finger before teasing back, "I'd rather have a prick in my finger than a hole in my back!"  
  
"Okay, you win," Marie smirked, but Penny's smile turned from playful to serious.  
  
"How is your back, by the way?" Penny gazed questioningly into Marie's eyes.  
  
"It's fine, thanks." Marie blushed slightly. She was embarrassed at all the attention she had been having lately, between Ben coming to constantly check up on her, Penny always making sure she was alright, and Joe hardly ever leaving her side. She had never in her life been doted over as much as she had in the past month, and she truly didn't know how to handle it.  
  
Penny sensed Marie's embarrassment, so she changed the subject.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Adam, Hoss, and Joe were all getting ready as well, and Adam, for the first time that Joe could ever recall, seemed nervous! He constantly reminded himself and his brothers to do or say things many times over, but neither of his brothers seemed to mind.  
  
Ben walked into the room his sons were in together and smiled at the image of Hoss, pins in his mouth, trying to make sure his older brother's tuxedo was ready. Joe, meanwhile, had abandoned Adam's appearance and was solely concentrating on making sure he, himself, looked handsome. And, finally, there was Adam; pacing the floor nervously, shrugging off Hoss' attempts to fix his hair or outfit, and barking orders at his youngest brother, who ignored Adam completely save an absent-minded nod when his brother stopped talking.  
  
Ben laughed to himself, feeling deeply grateful to God for the gift of his three sons, and walked into the room.  
  
"Are you about ready, boys?" Ben asked with enthusiasm.  
  
Getting a no from Adam, a yes from Joe, and a mumble from Hoss, Ben continued, "Well I'm sure ready to get rid of a son and gain a daughter!"  
  
Pulling the pins out of his mouth, Hoss suddenly said, "Daughter? Penny! Dadburnit, with all this fussing over the groom, I almost forgot to fetch Penny for the wedding!" And he took off towards the back of the church to find her.  
  
Becoming serious, Ben looked at Joe and asked, "Joseph, would you mind giving me a minute alone with your brother?"  
  
"Sure, pa," Joseph replied, glancing at himself in the mirror one last time, "just don't take too long, Adam is getting older and grouchier by the minute!" and Joe got out of the room before Adam had a chance to respond.  
  
Putting his hands on Adam's shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes, Ben said soberly, "Son, I just want you to know how proud I am of the man you have grown into, and how happy I am for you today, and for the fact that you and Penny will continue to live on the Ponderosa."  
  
"Thanks, Pa," Adam replied, "but you didn't have to say it; I already knew how you felt. And I owe my thanks to you, because if you hadn't been the kind of father you have been, I wouldn't be the kind of man that Penny would have fallen in love with."  
  
And with that, they gave each other a big hug. Fighting back his emotions, Ben quipped, "Well, then, get out there and get yourself hitched!" And Ben left to seat himself for the ceremony.  
  
The church was full to overflowing, people excited to finally get to see a Cartwright wedding, with a few broken hearts mixed in (one in particular, Miss Sara-Lee Bell, who was dabbing at her eyes and doing a bit of sniffling).  
  
But everything became quiet as the music began and Adam and Joe emerged from a side door to stand with the preacher in front of the pulpit.  
  
Adam was very aware of how much his heart was racing, but stood as calmly as possible as he watched Marie walk down the aisle, wondering if her big smile was aimed at him or at Joe!  
  
But when he got his first look at his soon to be wife, walking slowly down the aisle on Hoss' arm, even outshining the beautiful arrangement of flowers in her hands, his heart just melted, and all his jitters disappeared. Even with a thin veil over her face, Adam could tell that she was as much in love with him as he was with her!  
  
The wedding seemed to fly by, despite Penny trying her best to savor every moment. Her heart was filled with an unsurpassable joy. Caught up in the moment of her matrimony, she didn't even miss the fact that her parents weren't there.  
  
"I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss the bride," the preacher finally stated, and Adam lifted Penny's veil with a flourish and they locked lips. The crowd murmured in ascent while already wedded couples reminisced on their like moment. Marie, standing beside Joe, coyly looked over at him and smiled, an action which didn't go unnoticed, while Ben and Hoss simply reveled in Adam and Penny's happiness.  
Once in the great hall down the street where the reception was held, the festivities peaked to a grand party. Food of every imaginable delicacy was laid out, while a string quartet played in the background, alternating slow and fast songs for the guests to dance to.  
  
Adam and Penny, after visiting various people to thank them for visiting, retired to the dance floor. Hoss, despite all Sara-Bell's desperate attempts, danced with any woman except her, and Ben had several invitations by eligible ladies, many of which he took. Joe's leg was still very unsteady, though the threat of infection was gone, so Marie happily gave up dancing just to chat with him.  
  
Finally, tinkering of silverware on glass cups rang out to get everyone's attention. Adam and Penny kissed, as was tradition, and then Adam stood and cleared his throat.  
  
"Everyone," he boomed in his deep baritone. "It's time for Penny and me to throw her bouquet and garter so we all can see who'll be the next up to be married! Eligible ladies, on this side of the room. Men, on the other."  
  
As everyone joined their perspective areas, Hoss teased Joe, "Little brother, whaddaya think you're gonna accomplish on that bum leg of yours?"  
  
Joe looked at his brother smugly, deciding not to respond but simply show up his older brother's words.  
  
Penny tossed her bouquet over her head, and the bundle of flowers tumbled straight toward Sara-Lee, who squealed in delight. Right as the bouquet made their descent, however, Marie reached up a long slender arm and snatched them out of the air with a triumphant laugh. Sara's eyebrow's furrowed and she stormed out of the room in anger.  
  
When the garter came soaring through the air to the group of men, most made a dive for it, but Joe used his short stature to his own advantage, ducking beneath the outstretched arms and snatching the garter out of the air with a whoop.  
  
He made his way over to Marie, and they kissed happily. Hoss, Ben, Penny, and Adam all joined the two.  
  
Hoss glowered teasingly, "You just had to cut in on my fun, didn't cha, Joe!"  
  
Joe laughed, but Ben quickly interjected, "Well, it seems like I've got two of my sons married or almost married off, now I've just got Hoss to worry about." Ben began to size Hoss up jokingly.  
  
"Well, Hoss, Ben," Marie added, trying her best to keep from bursting into a fit of giggles. "I think I might have forgotten to tell you this, but maybe I'm a triplet!"  
  
After a slight moment of uncertainty, the Cartwrights caught Marie's gleaming eyes, filled with amusement, and they all laughed joyously together. 


End file.
